Cheesecake 101

From Martha Stewart Living: Cheesecake is the purist's dessert, simple and elemental. But it also requires a sleight of hand in which an unassuming ingredient magically blossoms into an elegant, almost sculptural study of texture and flavor. Most often, cream cheese is that ingredient. Mixed with sugar, vanilla, and eggs, then baked, it creates an irresistible result that is technically as close to a custard as it is to a cake.

But for cheesecake's admirers, it has much more appeal than either. Waiting to be sliced, it seems to whisper promises of delicate tang and sweetness. You might wonder how it will taste, how it will feel in the mouth. Softly yielding? Lusciously thick? Light, like mousse? The temptation will quickly prove too great: Resistance crumbles, you grab a spoon, and the cheesecake completes its seduction.

Getting Flawless Results
To avoid cracks in a finished baked cheesecake, start with the ingredients at room temperature; don't overmix the eggs, and don't overbake. Before unmolding, run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake. If the top does crack, consider concealing imperfections with fresh fruit or a berry or chocolate sauce.

Technique
Marbling cheesecake is an easy way to elicit oohs and ahs. This one and its miniature siblings have a raspberry puree swirled in. To marble, drop dollops of fruit puree onto the unbaked cake with a teaspoon, then use a wooden skewer or toothpick to tease out tendrils of sauce across the surface.

These cheesecakes, once set, can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to three days. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Raspberry-Swirl Cheesecake
Yield: 8 to 10 servings


1 cup finely ground graham crackers
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cups sugar
6 ounces raspberries
32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
Boiling water, for roasting pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap exterior of a 9-inch springform pan (including base) in a double layer of foil; set aside.

Stir together cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Process raspberries in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pass puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar, and set aside.

Put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a slow, steady stream. Add salt and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each until just combined (do not overmix). Pour cream cheese filling over crust.

Drop raspberry sauce by the teaspoon on top. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl sauce into filling.

Set cake pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Transfer to oven. Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, 60 to 65 minutes.

Transfer cake pan to rack; let cake cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, 6 hours or overnight. Before unmolding, run a knife around edge of cake.
(Recipe from Martha Stewart Living.)