Ginger Cheesecake

While it may not be healthy, cheesecake certainly is vegetarian. I made this recipe just this week for a farewell gathering of graduate students. It is a cinch and so creamy with a lovely robust flavour imparted by the ginger.

1 package Honeymaid graham crackers

2 Tbs. butter

2 pounds cream cheese, softened

zest of 1/2 of a lemon

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs. sugar

4 eggs

2 yolks

*75 ml heavy cream

(infused with 3 oz. fresh ginger)

1/4 cup + 2 Tbs. All purpose flour

Boiling water

Pour cream into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile roughly chop the unpeeled ginger. When the cream is hot, add the ginger, stir, turn off the heat, and place a lid on the pot. Allow it to steep for 30 minutes. Afterwards, strain the mixture pressing the ginger against the strainer with a wooden spoon to extract all the cream. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 10" springform pan with baking parchment and wrap the outside base with aluminum foil to seal the seam. Place on a sheet pan that has 1/2 to 1 inch sides.

In a food processor pulverize the graham crackers. Empty into a bowl and set aside. Melt the 2 Tbs. butter over low heat and mix into the graham cracker dust. Line the bottom of the springform pan with the graham cracker using a straight-sided glass container to tamp down the crackers, if needed. Toast the base in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan and lower the oven temperature to 300 F.

In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar with a paddle at low speed. You never want to mix too much air into a cheesecake so if you find you are spending too much time readying the remaining ingredients, you may want to turn the mixer off. Otherwise you can proceed with the recipe adding the ingredients in the order listed.

I like to crack my eggs with my vanilla and zest into a small pitcher. Pour this mixture into the cream cheese in three additions allowing the egg to fully incorporate. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides and base of the bowl twice. Add the ginger cream, then the flour. Pour the mix into the springform pan. Place the pan on the oven rack and pour boiling water into the sheet pan until it is about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Do not allow the water to rise above the aluminum foil seal you created around your pan. Carefully push the oven rack into the oven and set the timer for 40 minutes. The cake should hardly wobble in the middle when you shake it. It may take up to an hour to finish baking.