Yoghurt New York Cheesecake

Ever time I come across a rich creamy and dense looking New York Cheesecake or related recipes, I promised myself that I 'would' get to start try making one soon. That promise took me almost 3 years to make good, even despite being a frequent baker who had whipped / used up dozens of blocks of cream cheese.  

Yes, I have made numerous cheesecake over the past three years but mostly were either souffle cheesecake or the lighter version with minimal cheese content.  This time I decided to go full fledge.....almost, but with the addition of yogurt which I wanted to dispose.

For this cake, I used sponge cake as the base instead of the crushed biscuits which this recipe normally prescribed. First, I am too lazy to crush the biscuits and the pressing of the crumbs into the cake pan. Somehow I don't fancy such task. Secondly, I dislike handling and the slicing of the cake with the biscuit layer. From past experience, the biscuit layer disintegrates or did not remain intact with the cheese cake layer when I sliced the cake.  

Thirdly, I get to select the flavor and color for the cake base when its made from a sponge cake made from scratch.

I am extremely happy with the outcome this time. By baking this cake over another layer of a larger fixed based cake pan, I do not risk having the cake getting moist at the base while also saving money on the usage of aluminum paper.

Yoghurt New York Cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Vivian Pang

Sponge Cake For The Base (A)
20g Corn Flour
20g Plain Flour
20g Self Raising Flour
2 Grade B Eggs
Salt
20g Corn Oil
80g Sugar
Few Drops of Chocolate Coloring

1 Tbsp Instant Coffee Powder
1 Tbsp Hot Water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Line and grease the bottom of a 8-1/2 or 9inch cake pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, Sift and combine in all the various flours (A) together and set aside.
3. Prepare coffee mixture by mixing instant coffee powder with hot water and stir until well blended. Set aside.
4. In another mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar till light and fluffy. Add in salt and continue beating for a minute before adding in corn oil and coffee mixture.
5. Fold in flour swiftly and gently until thoroughly combined. 
6. Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and tap the pan lightly on a table top to get rid of nay trapped air bubbles in the batter. 
7. Bake at 180C degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Unmould the cake and allow to cool on a wire rack.

For The Cheese Cake (B)
565g Cream Cheese (softened to room temp)
160g Castor Sugar
2 Lemon Zest
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

3 Tbsp Plain Flour
3 Grade A Eggs
225g Plain Yoghurt

Topping (Optional)
Cocoa Powder
Whipped Cream and shredded cheddar cheese

Method

Place the sponge cake layer into an 8 inch lined removable bottom pan or springform pan. 

Preheat the oven to 125C degrees.

Using an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese with the sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture turn light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low, beat in  3Tbsp of flour and mix till combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in the yogurt until just combined.

Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Tap the pan lightly on a table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter. 

Place the 8 inch baking pan into another 9 inch or larger fixed based baking pan which could sufficiently accommodate the original baking pan. I prefer to use this method rather than to secure the cake pan with aluminum foil as usually (for me) the moisture / water managed to seep through the many layers of aluminum paper I wrapped the pan with. Thus, I choose to use this method and it also saves on buying the aluminum paper.  

Bake in water bath at 120-125C degrees for 70-75 mins or till set. 

Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating for at least 2 hours before serving.

Top with whipped cream or dust with cocoa powder.

• Tip

  Mixing the ingredients

  The way you blend the ingredients is crucial: under-beating can lead to a lumpy mixture, over-beating can whip in too much air. This can result in uneven cooking, bubbles, and cracking.

• Tip

  Keep everything at room temperature

  Keep everything at room temperature. To avoid lumps and ensure even mixing without over-beating, it is essential to have the soft cheese at room temperature before starting. Ideally, let it come to room temperature in its pack for 2 hours. If you're short of time, cut the soft cheese into chunks and leave to soften for 1 hour. It also helps to have a tabletop mixer with a powerful motor. But if you don't have one, a hand-held mixer works fine.