Sunday 18 September 2011

Cheesecake fortress – a birthday cake




As my nephew, The Boy Wonder, is what I admiringly term ‘a cheesecake hoover’, he warmly received my idea of a cheesecake fortress for his 14th birthday cake. This idea developed from his initial request of “the biggest cheesecake you have ever made”.


Raspberry:


These cheesecakes are all made from the same “no bake” cheesecake recipe. It’s quick and easy to make and you end up with a light, delicious cheesecake that can hold its own alongside any fancier recipes.


Blackberry:


The recipe below sets out the basic quantities to make a 20cm cheesecake, but I doubled those to make the base, a 27cm beast! I then made a double batch and divided it up before adding different flavours to make the turrets – I simply made foil rings to keep them in shape. I toyed with using food rings but couldn’t face all the washing up when the cheesecakes were freed!


I am very lucky to have a fab foodie friend, the wonderful Miz Ratti
who brought me back a most welcome gift from Germany – Philadelphia cream cheese mixed with Milka chocolate. Why isn’t this available in the UK? Why????? The task of making a chocolate cheesecake suddenly becomes laughably easy!


Chocolate:


Along with the chocolate ‘turret’ cheesecakes, I also made smooth peanut butter flavoured (with chocolate covered peanuts mixed in), blackberry, pineapple (simply a small tin of crushed pineapple) and raspberry flavours. The base (aka the 27cm beast) was a classic vanilla.


Peanut butter:


Pineapple:


You never have to worry about making too much cheesecake (is that even possible? I almost hate myself for typing that!) as it freezes well. To make it even easier, cut the slices and wrap them individually then you only need defrost what you want and the rest is safe for another day.


Happy 14th birthday Boy Wonder!

Ingredients

For the basic cheesecake mixture (this will make a 20cm round cheesecake, or 5 of the mini's I've made here):

250g digestive biscuits
100g unsalted butter
600g cream cheese – I used Philadelphia
100g icing sugar
284ml double cream

Suggested flavourings: Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod, 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter, 3 tablespoons fruit puree, small tin of strained crushed pineapple.

Method

Place the ring from a 20cm round springform tin on the plate you’ll server the cheesecake from. Wrap the ring in either clingfilm or greaseproof paper to ensure that you can free the cheesecake easily.

Butter and bics in the food processor - pulse it until the butter is distributed.

Use the crumbs to line the base of the cheesecake. Press them down onto the plate but not so hard that you create biscuity concrete!

Refrigerate while making the cheesecake.

Slice the vanilla pod in half and remove the seeds. (if you are using any other flavourings this is the time to add them)

Place seeds in a bowl along with the cream cheese and icing sugar and beat until smooth and well combined.

Pour in the cream and beat until the mixture is completely combined.

Spoon over the biscuit base and level.

Leave to set overnight in the refrigerator.

33 comments:

Lady Chutney said...

Oh wow! Please would you adopt me??

Miz Ratti said...

Mrs CC, that's immense!! I'm glad that my little something from Germany was used for such a special occasion - I'm sure boy wonder fell onto his cakes, I know I would.

For the people who would like to try this, the German shop opp Neal's yard cheese shop in Borough Market has the philly Milka chocolate...

Caroline said...

Wow, that is so much cheesecake! That must surely have sated the Boy Wonder's appetite for cheesecake at least temporarily!

Good tip about freezing, I will have to try that. I love all those different flavours too - mmmm, cheesecake!

Lady Chutney said...

Thank you for your kind comment on my blogsite. Unfortunately my own blogsite doesn't recognise me and so I can't reply to other peoples comments - it said I was 'invalid' I am waiting for a compertery type friend to come and sort me out

Kim said...

Ooof, that is an INSANE amount of cheesecake. I love it and I want some! I am very much going to steal this recipe at some point!

Kate@whatkatebaked said...

Chocolate and cheese together? As in, one and same?! How have I not known about this?! Ah, yes, I don't live in Germany. That's in, Berlin here I come! Please, please can we start a petition to bring such an amazing, amazing item over to these shores? Did the Boy Wonder enjoy the Fortress? Silly question...it looks ace!

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Kate

If you see Miz Ratti's comment you'll see you can get it in London! Oh the joy!

Happy baking

Lisa Shannon said...

oh my!! Cheesecake is my hub's fav, his eyes just nearly popped out of his head when he saw this. Guess what I will be making next weekend? hehe!
Happy birthday boy wonder xx

Jo said...

Wow, best birthday idea ever! Your nephew is one lucky boy! I've been on a real cheesecake kick lately so I'm positively drooling at your cake fortress. Philadelphia cheese with milka chocolate sounds amazing!

Choclette said...

You must be the best aunt ever. What a wonderful birthday cake, I bet he'll always remember that. Really love the colour of the blackberry one.

Kezia said...

Cheesecake hoover! Love that term! Thanks for the tip about freezing the cheesecake, I never knew that before!

Unknown said...

I want the chocolate cream cheese!!

Cakelaw said...

I adore cheesecake - and there are so many to choose from here. I want them all!

Sarah-Jane - SiliconeMoulds.com said...

oh my gosh - that's a LOT of cheesecake.

I hope Boy Wonder shared !

Will you be my auntie too ?

anna and the ring said...

Um yum!

I may have to search for that philly!

Soo said...

Holy cheesecake Batman! That is one amazing mountain of yumminess.

I am sure it was enjoyed by all - but particularly by the Boy Wonder.

LandGirl1980 said...

The thought of Philly with chocolate has just made me weep. Oh the nom possibilities!!

Anonymous said...

WOW!!!!! this looks absolutely fantastic!! I am drooling here. Would so totally love to make it.... but unfortunately cream cheese is very very expensive here.

Anonymous said...

hımmmm they look delicious

Anonymous said...

These look amazing!Happy Birthday to the Boy Wonder! I must warn all of you enthusiasts though that as I live in Germany and have unrestricted access to Milka Philly, I was rather underwhelmed by it at first taste, neither one nor the other flavour comes through,think of chocolate-flavoured yoghurt and you might get an idea. However, I did think the tangy combo of cream cheese and chocolate might work in a cheesecake, CC you are an inspiration! I will definitely be trying out your recipe. One question though, did you use all Milka Philly for the choc version?
Looking at your list of ingredients for the peanut butter version that maybe those peanut butter chips by Heese's might also work. I ordered a very expensive bag of them via Amazon earlier this year and so far have used them to great effect in choc chip cookies, sadly very moreish.

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Anonymous

Yes, I used all chocolate philly for the chocolate one. It had a mild and light texture - one of my eaters, who doesn't like cheesecake, tried it and really liked it as he thought it tasted like lovely whipped chocolate mousse but with more flavour.

Reese's pieces would definitely work - that's a lovely idea

Happy baking

Unknown said...

Oh my goodness, that IS the most cheesecake I've ever seen in one place. Sigh, I live with a cheesecake hater and don't trust myself to make one just for me, have visions of eating frozen slices straight from the freezer in manner of addict. I'll content myself with the pictures of yours instead...

Rachael said...

Wow, all of a sudden birthday cake is so much less appealing than birthday cheesecake! The fortress looks delicious :)

Victory Rolls & Mixing Bowls said...

Now I have some serious cheesecake craving! We need that Philedelphia in the UK you are so right and Milka is so yum too!

Nom!

blackbookkitchendiaries said...

wow!!! those cheesecakes looks amazing!!

Lucy said...

Wow! That is the most cheesecake I have ever seen - what a birthday! Love all the mix of flavours, particularly the pineapple because I haven't seen that before and it looks delicious.

Katie said...

Genius idea!! I'd want a slice of all of them. That chocolate cream cheese looks deivine. Hope it will come to the UK soon. I know when I went to America a few years ago I was amazed at the cream cheese varieties they had

Sumaiyyah said...

A fortress to guard the land of cake. All who desire to enter this land must have have a slice of cake.
Let me just say, "Wow!!!"

Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours said...

I think I may just have the Milka flavoured Philly please? Please?

spike. said...

Wow! That is quite the birthday cake!

Baking Addict said...

That really is a fortress of cheesecake! Happy belated birthday to the boy wonder, bet he was really pleased.

Anonymous said...

Saw this & thought of you....http://www.philadelphia.co.uk/philadelphia3/page?siteid=philadelphia3-prd&locale=uken1&PagecRef=841

Philadelphia with cadbury chocolate.....yum!

Anonymous said...

You can get Philly with cadburys chocolate now. Just found your blog and I think it's really great