Tuesday 22 December 2020

THE ULTIMATE BAKED CINNAMON CHEESECAKE


This baked cinnamon cheesecake with a cinnamon spiced digestive biscuit base, a cinnamon, butter and cookie crumb swirl AND a white chocolate, cinnamon butter and blueberry glaze, is my very own creation and without a doubt one of the best things I have ever baked! 

It also happens to be the perfect Christmas dessert if you aren't into gross Christmas puddings and the like and is an ideal little kitchen project for the 24th as the cake needs overnight to set.

Don't be put off by the bain-marie (or water bath) in which the cheesecake is baked, it sounds super fancy and gourmet but is actually surprisingly easy to do and will make you feel like a true patisserie master!

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

  • 1 1/2 cups finely crushed digestive biscuits
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted melted butter

CHEESECAKE
  • 3x 250g packages cream cheese 
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

CINNAMON SWIRL
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

WHITE CHOCOLATE, CINNAMON & BLUEBERRY GLAZE
  • 180g White Chocolate
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 100g blueberries

METHOD

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius
  • In a small bowl, combine the crushed digestives, sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
  • Evenly press the mixture into the bottom and half an inch up the sides of a 9 inch baking tin
  • Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is set, about 10 minutes.
  • Tightly cover the outside bottom and sides of the tin with 3 layers of kitchen foil. This will prevent water from leaking in during the water bath.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE:
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 150 degrees celsius.
  • In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and flour on low speed until smooth. 
  • Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. 
  • Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon until creamy and smooth.

TO MAKE THE CINNAMON CRUMB SWIRL:
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. 
  • Mix in the melted butter to create a crumbly paste-like dough.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
  • Take 1/4 of the cinnamon mixture and break it apart evenly across the bottom of the baked crust.
  • Cover with 1/3rd of the cheesecake batter. 
  • Top with another 1/4 of the broken apart cinnamon. 
  • Repeat the layering, ending with a final topping of the cinnamon mixture.
  • Place the kitchen foil lined tin inside a larger, deep baking tray. 
  • Carefully add to water to the inside of the larger baking dish, making sure not to splash any into the layered cheesecake.
  • Bake in preheated oven until the edges are set, but the centre still has a little wiggle, about 1 hour and 20minutes
  • Turn the oven off, but leave the door closed for 30 minutes. 
  • Crack open the oven door and allow the cheesecake to cool for another 5 minutes.
  • Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and allow to cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating overnight.

FOR THE GLAZE:
  • In a small saucepan heat the butter until barely melted.
  • Add the brown sugar and cinnamon, and stir to combine.
  • Set aside.
  • In a microwave save bowl melt the white chocolate in the microwave, heating it up in short bursts so it doesn't burn, stirring in-between.
  • Pour the white chocolate over the chilled cake.Drop a tablespoon of sugar mixture at a time into several different places across the top of the cake, then drag a knife across across the length of the cake through each spot of dropped sugar, back and forth to create the swirls.
  • Dot blueberries evenly on top of the cake and pop it all back in the fridge for at least an hour to let the glaze set and voila you are done!

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