Just over a week ago, two things happened on the same day. Firstly, I made this cheesecake. Secondly, Chris broke up with me. I’m fairly certain the two are unrelated, just in case you’re worried that this is a cursed cheesecake.
I really thought the cheesecake was going to work perfectly. The cheesecake mixture was lovely. The flavours worked really well together, the texture was wonderful and it was just nice and easy. When it went into the oven, I was full of confidence. But it didn’t work perfectly. It came out with a big old crack down the middle. It went into the oven all pretty and it came out ugly. I didn’t expect it and I didn’t understand what had gone wrong.
Sometimes things go wrong and you really can’t put your finger on why. Maybe if you went back and looked hard enough you’d find out. Maybe you won’t ever know. But you know what? Taking the cheesecake out of the oven isn’t the end of the cheesecake making process. Give it time to cool down and you can eat it! And it’s going to be amazing.
Tiramisu cheesecake
Adapted from Cheesecakes by Maxine Clark
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
For the base:
275g (makes 2 cups once bashed into crumbs) dark chocolate digestives, plain digestives or graham crackers
75g/2.65 oz /6 tbsp (2/3 of a stick) butter
For the cheesecake mixtures:
700g/24.7 oz soft cheese (I used half full-fat Philadelphia and half light Philadelphia), at room temperature
150g/2/3 cup caster (superfine) sugar
3 eggs, separated
30g/3 tbsp + 1 tsp plain (all-purpose) flour
1 tbsp vanilla extract
175g/6.2 oz plain chocolate (around 50% cocoa solids)
1 tbsp finely ground espresso (you can use powder, I used freshly ground beans)
3 tbsp Tia Maria
Line the base of a 23cm springform or loose-based round cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides of the tin.
Put the biscuits or graham crackers in a sandwich bag and bash them with a rolling pin until fine. If you’re not feeling particularly like taking some rage out on the biscuits, put them in a food processor instead and whizz until finely ground.
Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over a low heat, then stir in the ground biscuits until evenly mixed. Tip into the cake tin and press evenly over the base of the tin so that the mixture is well packed in.
Put in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Put the oven on 180C (350F) fan oven/190C (375F) conventional oven.
Put the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk or a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in the sugar and then the egg yolks. Put half of the mixture into a separate bowl.
In the first bowl, stir in the vanilla and flour. Set aside.
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Let it cool slightly, then stir it into the second bowl of cheesecake mixture (not the mixture with the flour in), along with the espresso powder and Tia Maria.
Put the egg whites into a clean bowl and whisk with clean whisks until soft peaks form. Fold half into each bowl of cheesecake mixture.
Drop alternate spoonfuls of the mixture into the tin and then use a sharp knife to swirl them together into a marbled effect, but don’t overmix.
Bake for 30 minutes, then cover with foil to stop it browning too much and bake for a further 10-15 minutes (total cooking time 40-45 minutes, mine took 40 minutes in a 180C fan oven). It should be golden brown and still soft in the centre. It might have a big crack in it too, but don’t panic 🙂
Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in there with the door ajar. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely in the oven, then chill in the fridge for several hours before serving.
Oh, friend! I’m sorry about the cracks. All of them. I bet there are some amazing things on the horizon for you… xox
Thank you, that’s a lovely comment xx
Holy moly, how I would DEVOUR that! It looks fabulous, and so, so sinfully indulgent.
It was an ace cheesecake, definitely one of my favourites, despite the massive crack!
I couldn’t have said it better than Movita! Keep your chin up!! And know better days are coming!
Thanks 🙂
So sorry this didn’t turn out as you’d hoped. I love tiramisu so I will try this anyway. A waterbath usually keeps my cheesecakes from cracking while in the oven.
Ah, it was alright once I tasted it, it’s a very good cheesecake!
I think I’ve died and gone to heaven! 😀
Glad you like the post 🙂
Ohh sorry about both, on the second thought you have that awesome cheesecake, even though you think it didn’t turn the way it should, but for some reason I would eat it in a heart beat and in my opinion look amazing and very tasty! Stay strong..he will regret what he lost!!!!
It was very tasty indeed 🙂 don’t worry, the cheesecake was devoured and enjoyed!
Sorry mostly for the cracked heart! Cheesecake, can be made again and again but a broken heart hurts!
I would have still eaten up that cake. It looks delicious.
Feel better.
Thanks.
I’m concerned that people think I might not have eaten the cheesecake! I can confirm that it did taste amazing, once I’d got over the big crack in it.
I’m sorry about the break-up. I’m certain there are bigger and better things ahead.
Like that cake. It looks amazing. 🙂
Thanks, it was amazing and I’d definitely recommend giving it a go!
Holy yum! Tiramisu and cheesecake! Good lord! Your pictures are drool inducing.
Thank you! I’m getting better at this picture taking malarky.
This is such a positive post-sometimes things in life go wrong, you simply don’t know why, but good things can come of them. I’m really sorry about your break up but it sounds like you’re staying strong. And your cheesecake looks wonderful, cracks and all 🙂
Thanks 🙂 I sort of decided it looked more interesting with the crack in the end!
Did it still tastes good? Looks amazing!
I love your writing in this post and your honesty. Hope you’re doing good!
It did indeed, probably one of my favourite cheesecakes 🙂
Sorry about your break up…. sometimes cheesecake is just a fickle beast but looks aside still taste lovely and life goes on. It sounds fantastic and I bet tasted amazing.
Thanks 🙂 it did taste amazing!
I actually love the cracks in the cheesecake – I think it looks amazing!
Thank you! The cracks are growing on me, it looks kind of pretty with the marbled mixture.
I am saving this recipe asap. My sister’s two favorite desserts happen to be cheesecake and tiramisu. This is perfect for her upcoming birthday!
Sounds like a good idea, I hope your sister likes it!
Break-up – Boo! Well-The Cheesecake is lovely! Who cares if there’s a crack. Love the addition to the recipe directions 🙂
Thank you! And you’re right, as long as it tastes good, who cares if there’s a crack? 🙂
you just combined two of my favorite desserts! This looks SO good!
Glad you like it! 🙂
Very very interesting. Should pass this over to my Italian friends. Beautiful idea
I have loved your cake, even if it cracked in the oven it looks really really yummy. I hope you are better from the break-up now, you know: always look on the bright side of life!! =)
You blog is amaizing =)
Hi Julia,
I can see that this was “adapted” from my original recipe (it’s pretty much exactly the same)! It always cracks..as do many of this type of cheesecake, and that’s why you don’t over bake it and then let it cool slowly in the switched off oven. Fan assisted ovens should always be set 20 degrees lower than it states in a recipe (my book mentions this) unless the recipe is written for a fan oven! This will prevent the cheesecake overcooking. But I don’t think the cracking is a problem – the results are in the tasting! Glad you like the recipe……
Hope other the other cracks have healed too! Maxine
Hi Maxine
Yes, I didn’t make many changes as it’s a lovely recipe but did change a few things so didn’t want to bill it as simply taken from when it wasn’t quite the same! Having now checked the book I can see that I changed the type of biscuit, increased the vanilla and omitted the dark rum (I’ve read a few times that three changes should be described as adapted from). Am happy to change this to just “from” though if you would prefer.
Thanks for commenting 🙂