New York Cheesecake

Contributed by Melissa (IG @hungrybird.sg).

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes | Serves: 5

Makes one 6″ cake.

Ingredients:

  • 250 g cream cheese (1 block of Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
  • 75 g sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, beaten
  • 85 grams heavy cream + 25ml lemon juice (or 85 grams sour cream)
  • 1/2 tablespoon cake flour

Biscuit base:

  • 70 grams crushed digestive biscuits
  • 20 grams melted butter
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • Pinch of salt

Method:

  1. Heat 35g butter in microwave oven until just melted. (~20s at 500W)
  2. Pour melted butter into a bowl of finely crushed digestive biscuits.
  3. Add sugar, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.
  4. Pour crumbs into a 6″ springform pan, and flatten it gently with the back of a spoon until quite compact. It should be around 1cm in height.
  5. Place in Ninja Foodi pot and use BAKE at 160°C for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove cake pan from Ninja Foodi and allow to cool fully. Freeze for 10mins to harden.
  7. Bring all cheese batter ingredients to room temperature.
  8. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add cream cheese, cut into smaller blocks. Using a paddle attachment (or whisk), mix until cheese becomes creamy and soft, around 4 minutes at medium speed. Add in sugar and mix for another 4 minutes or until fully mixed in.
  9. Add salt, vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add eggs in 4 parts and beat after each addition, not for too long – only till just nicely mixed. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure no bits of cheese are missed.
  10. Allow heavy cream with lemon juice to stand for around 10 minutes. Cream will appear to have thickened up, and fold in until homogeneous. (You can also use sour cream instead).
  11. Sieve in cake flour and fold to mix.
  12. Wrap the outsides of the springform pan tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil, all the way up. Wrap a second and third layer to have 3 layers in total.
  13. Pour cheese batter into the wrapped pan. Pop any air bubbles you see on the surface with a toothpick.
  14. Pour 1.25L of water into Ninja Foodi pot and use SAUTE on HI until water has reached a boil. Turn off the heat.
  15. Place the wrapped pan into the Ninja Foodi pot.
  16. Close the Ninja Foodi crisping lid and use BAKE at 160°C for 45 minutes.
  17. Midway through, open to check your cheesecake and place a cover on top to prevent further browning (around 25 mins after starting).
  18. When baking is complete, remove cheesecake from Ninja Foodi. Remove cake pan from the aluminum foil. Cool the cheesecake until room temperature before chilling in the freezer for 1h or in the refrigerator for 4h.
  19. If necessary, use an offset spatula to release the sides of the cheesecake. To serve, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and slice when the cake is fully cold.  Serve chilled.

Notes:

  • For best results, use good quality block cream cheese. Do not use spreadable cream cheese.
  • Do not use low-fat digestive biscuits for the base.

Image: Unsplash

Check out more recipes by Melissa on her blog 

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