Blueberry Cheese Cake

Blueberry Cheese Cake

First things first, let's get something straight.....

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with using condensed milk to make a cheesecake. It is quite economical. In many Caribbean countries, it has traditionally been a pantry standard, and is therefore usually to hand. Additionally, I have found it to be very flexible in cheese cake recipes- you can easily adjust the amount of condensed milk to adjust the sweetness.

This is a nice, simple recipe, great for the inexperienced baker. I have tried a number of cheesecake recipes and always come back to this one...with its condensed milk.

Food Network and Cooking Channel are making culinary snobs of us all...

INGREDIENTS

Crust

One 8- or 9-inch ready-made graham cracker pie shell

OR

8 oz  digestive biscuit crumbs (or graham cracker crumbs, if you are from the USA)

2 oz  sugar

2 oz  margarine or butter

Filling

2 - 2 1/2 packages cream cheese (each package = 8 oz.)

1  can condensed milk (12 - 14 oz)

2 eggs

2 tsp lime or lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla essence or vanilla extract

Blueberry Topping

1 can blueberry topping

OR

2 cups frozen blueberries

1/2 cup water

1/4 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar (optional)

1 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp lemon juice
sprinkling of cinnamon

METHOD

Topping

If you are making the topping from scratch...

1.  Combine the blueberries, sugar, water, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. 

2.  Dissolve the corn starch in a tablespoon of cold water, whisking until smooth. 

3.  Pour the corn starch into the fruit mixture in the saucepan and cook until thickened. 

4.  Remove from the heat and cool.


Crust

If you are making the crust from scratch...


1.  Combine digestive biscuit crumbs and sugar.
2.  Melt the margarine (or butter).
3.  Add melted margarine (or butter) to the dry mixure of crumbs and sugar. Mix well, until the fat is evenly distributed.
4.  Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. You can also press some of the crumbs onto the sides. Be sure to distribute the crumbs evenly. There should be very little variation in the thickness of the crust.
5.  Place the crust in the fridge or freezer to chill. Use the freezer if you will be ready to fill the crust in about 15 - 20 minutes. Otherwise, place in the fridge.

Filling

1.  Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.2.  While the crust is chilling, cut cream cheese into small pieces and place in a blender.
3.  Add the eggs, milk, lime juice and vanilla.
4.  Blend all the ingredients until completely combined. The batter will be a thick liquid.
5.  Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Do not overfill*.
6.  Bake at 350 F for 30 - 40 minutes, until almost set.
7.  Remove from the oven and cool.
8.  Remove from the cake from the pan and arrange it on a serving plate. Pour on the blueberry topping and serve.

* If you have left-over batter, you can bake it in another dish, well-greased. Voila! Crust-less cheese cake!