I once considered myself a real cheesecake connoisseur. I suppose I still am, to some degree, but back then I had all the confidence of the young, with very little experience to back it up.
A little cafe had opened up in Harrow called "The Dog House" and I decided I would try to sell my cheesecakes to the woman who owned the place. I made up a few different kinds of cheesecake for her to try. She was very appreciative and promptly stole my idea and ran with it. The next thing I knew, she was selling cheesecakes at "The Dog House" (an unfortunate name for an eating establishment, if you ask me) and I never heard from her again. Unfortunately for her, the business didn't last very long.
In my teens, I was probably using artificial vanilla flavouring. What did I know? I just used what was on hand in my mom's cupboard. These days, artificial vanilla flavouring does not even come close to cutting it for me. I keep lots of pure vanilla extract on hand at all times. But for those times that call for something special (see Dark Chocolate-Sour Cherry Ice Cream Jan. '09), I have a bottle of whole vanilla beans.
The bottle was a gift from my sister one Christmas. She was working somewhere that made it possible for her to order vanilla beans in bulk and she made up bottles of them for her friends and family. Just vanilla beans and vodka. Once the beans have soaked a while in the vodka, you have homemade vanilla extract, plus very plump, moist beans. This was the perfect Christmas gift.
Lori happened to be over here when I made this cheesecake. My bottle of homemade extract had just a little liquid left in the bottom (what I need to do is to refill it with some more vodka). I ended up using the dregs of the homemade vanilla extract, which was so thick and gooey, it actually slid out of the bottle, as opposed to being poured. Then I took one of the whole beans and carefully slit it down the middle, using the back of a paring knife to scrape the tiny seeds out, and added these to the mixture as well. It was pure vanilla ecstasy. I popped the empty vanilla pod back into the bottle for another use, one of my favourites being Chai (Dec. '07).
This cheesecake was so unbelievably fragrant and delicious. There was just one problem. As you can probably tell from the picture above, the very centre of the cake was not set completely. There are a few reasons for this. The biggest problem was that I couldn't find the base to my 10-inch springform pan and I had to use a smaller pan. Even an inch or two makes a difference. Also, this is a substantial cheesecake and I should have probably let it stay in the oven at least another half an hour. The next faux-pas that I made was cutting it while it was still warm. Can you blame me?? I really should have let it chill overnight before cutting it. It really does taste better after it has chilled. I think it should be a rule that you must make cheesecakes at least one day (if not more) ahead of time.
This was definitely the best vanilla cheesecake I have ever made, even being slightly under-cooked. I wouldn't even consider eating this particular cheesecake with a fruit sauce or compote, although that's just me. Covering up all that vanilla goodness would be a crime.
Vanilla Bean CheesecakeCrust:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
6 T. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. white sugar
Filling:
1 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 lb. ricotta cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 T. cornstarch
2 t. pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out for the cheesecake and the pod kept for another use
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a 10-inch springform pan by lining the sides with parchment paper. Anchor the paper with little dots of butter.
2. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake crust for 5 minutes in the oven (remember to set a timer).
3. In an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese and ricotta cheese together until fluffy. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a separate bowl, add to the cheeses, and continue blending until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides until everything is well incorporated.
4. Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds, and sour cream. Blend until just combined. Pour into the prepared crust.
5. Place a pan of hot water on the lowest oven rack. Bake the cheesecake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then lower the heat to 300 degrees and bake for another hour, or until cake is slightly jiggly. The out half of the cheesecake will like done but the inside will still slightly jiggle. When the cheesecake is finished, turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven for another 30 minutes, with the oven door left open. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and finish cooling it to room temperature on the counter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6. To serve, remove springform collar and cut slices with a large, hot knife. Serves 10.
