Lifestyle: Mary Berry's Millionaire Cheesecake
I absolutely love cheesecake and when it comes with chocolate and soft caramel, it goes without saying that I need to try out the recipe. So when I spotted this Mary Berry's Millionaire Cheesecake in You! Magazine earlier this week, I got really excited. Not only is this a recipe by the GBBO judge, but it includes a delicious cake made out of a crunchy shortbread base, a soft cheese filling topped with a creamy caramel layer and chocolate.
After work I went straight to the supermarket to get the ingredients. All I needed was some time to actually bake it, so this Saturday was perfect to spent some time in the kitchen and give this recipe a try. Hope you'll enjoy today's baking post and the step-to step instructions.
|The Ingredients|
For the shortbread base For the caramelbutter, for greasing 25g (1oz) butter
100g (4oz) plain flour 50g (2oz) light muscovado sugar
50g (2oz) semolina 1x 397g can condensed milk caramel
100g (4oz) butter
50g (2oz) caster sugar
For the cheesecake For the chocolate topping
200ml (7fl oz) pouring double cream 100ml (4fl oz) pouring double cream
2½ leaves of platinum grade leaf gelatine 100g (4oz) dark chocolate (at least 50 per cent cocoa solids), finely grated
300g (10oz) full-fat cream cheese
|Instructions|
1. Lightly butter a 20cm (8in) round springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3.
2. To make the base, mix the flour and semolina together in a bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (this can also be done in a food processor). Stir in the sugar then bring everything together to make a smooth dough. Press into the base of the cake tin and smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake for 35 minutes until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
3. While the base is cooking, make the caramel. Melt the butter in a medium pan, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until dissolved. Add the canned caramel and bring to the boil. As soon as it is boiling, set the timer for 4 minutes and boil, stirring constantly, until the caramel has darkened and thickened slightly. Make sure you stir vigorously, particularly around the edge of the pan where it may catch.
You will feel the caramel thicken slightly, and when removed from the heat and the bubbles have subsided you should be able to draw a path through the caramel and see the base of the pan easily. Leave the caramel to cool while the shortbread base finishes cooking. After 5-10 minutes you should be able to roll a tiny piece of caramel into a small, soft ball. If not, cook for 1 minute more. Weigh 100g (4oz) of the mixture in a bowl and set aside. Spread the remaining caramel over the cooled shortbread base when it comes out of the oven, while still in the tin. Leave to set for 30 minutes.
4. To make the cheesecake mixture, place the reserved caramel back in the pan that you cooked it in, and add 100ml (4fl oz) double cream. Place over a very low heat and stir until the caramel has dissolved.
5. Place the gelatine in 4 tablespoons of cold water and leave for 10 minutes to soften. Remove from the water, shake off any excess and stir into the hot cream and caramel until dissolved.
6. Beat the remaining cream and cream cheese together until smooth, then stir in the cream and caramel mixture. Pour this over the caramel in the cake tin and leave for 2 hours until set.
7. To make the topping, warm the cream in a small pan until hot but not boiling. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool a little so that it will not melt the cheesecake. Pour over the cheesecake and leave to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally for 6 hours or until everything is set and firm. Serve cut into thin slices.
|Millionaire Cheesecake: Final Results|
When I applied the caramel layer to the samolina base it was solid and hard to apply evenly. I don't understand why the caramel started to melt in the fridge over night, as the cheese layer was topped on the cake when it was cold. Seriously, I have no idea why the caramel layer started to melt. Anyway, the samolina base is hard to cut, but once in your mouth it has a nice crisp texture. The flavours are good, not to overpowering or too sweet. However, I'm disappointed with the looks of it, though I tried to work very precise and accurate. I'd give this cake a 6.5/10overall as it is a good recipe which I will give a try again. The flavours lack the WOW-effect and the final result doesn't reflect the effort of 6h baking.
Do you like cheesecake as much as I do? Did you ever make a millionaire cheesecake?
Till next time,
xx CAZ xx
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