There is a cheesecake under all that fruit somewhere
This cheesecake is wonderfully rich and creamy and although it contains flavourful Camembert, the final taste is not overly cheesy. The only complicated bit is keeping an eye on the last few minutes of cooking (more about that below) – not a great hardship when you taste this indulgent treat.
You will need
- Shortcrust pastry to line a 9 inch spring form pan (or dish lined with foil)
- 1 pack of cream cheese (about 8oz / 250g)
- 1 Camembert cheese, around 8oz / 250g
- 2 eggs
- 4oz / 125g white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
To make
Line a non stick or buttered 9 inch spring form pan (or pie dish part lined with foil) with shortcrust pastry, pile in the ceramic pastry beans (stops it flopping in) and bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Pastry preference – we like ours all the way up the side to create a bit of wall to hold lots of fresh fruit once it has cooled, but cheesecake is usually served with the pastry just an inch or so up the side. For this, allow for shrinkage and line 2 inches of pastry up the side and hold in place while cooking with baking beans.
While the pastry is cooling, make the cheesecake mix:
Filling
Whisk the sugar, cream cheese and vanilla essence until light and smooth.
Lightly whisk in two eggs.
The Camembert:
Take one chilled Camembert (around 8oz / 250g to start with) then trim away all its rind. Cut into half inch/1cm chunks (chilling is vital or it will be stretchy and near impossible to divide!).
Stir the Camembert into the gloop, then pour it all into your pastry case.
Brush the pastry edges with a little milk, to stop it overcooking.
Bake at 175c / 350f for 35 mins or until nearly set.
When is a baked cheesecake cooked?
Give it a shake, the middle should wibble and be shiny, the edges not moving.
Turn off the heat and open the oven door a little and let the cheesecake cool. Cooling slowly makes it less likely to crack.
NOTE – while you get the hang of baking cheesecake in your oven (all ovens are a little different..) keep an eye on it for the last few minutes. If the top starts to brown AT ALL get it out fast, it’s overcooking!
Now for the patient bit
Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hrs.
Ideally we heap up with seasonal fruit, a favourite is raspberries. Did you know raspberries are grown in Normandy? Le Domaine Framboisier turns them into liqueurs, vinegars, fizzies and more. Delicious.
Out of fruit season, as this cheesecake is so rich it goes very well with sharper fruit like pineapple. No, we haven’t found any pineapple growing in Normandy. Yet.
The post Rich and creamy baked Normandy cheesecake appeared first on Normandy Then and Now.