White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic strawberries
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
Charles M. Schulz
White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic strawberry topping, music to this bakers ears. I’m not one for cheesy baking on V Day; possibly the last one who’ll bake for the day. Yet, I am a sucker for good recipes that catch my eye, and this one certainly did. A white chocolate cheesecake with ingredients as many as the fingers on my hand would tempt any baker or cheesecake lover. It certainly tempted me!
The minute I saw BetterButters fun video, part of their V Day series, to get men into the kitchen to bake something simple for their loved ones, they had me in the loop. If the first frame lists 5 simple ingredients, 4 of which are already there, then what’s to stop this rabid baker? Not much!! All it took was a trip to the local grocery store, grab some cream cheese, also some thyme that happened to be there, and I was set. I always have strawberries at home since they are so much in season these days.
It’s a simple recipe, S I M P L E. Make sure you see the video twice. First to enjoy the ease, and next, if you are like me, to jot down the steps. Else grab someone a willing soul, asking them to play the video as you go along. One thing I always do is follow the main recipe as is the first time. This was super fun, and I am going to bake this again soon. You know the other thing what I loved about the recipe? The natural quintessential cheesecake sink in the centre that holds the delicious filling.
A few things I might change. Maybe make the white chocolate cheesecake with quark the next time around. I am not a huge fan of Britannia Cream Cheese as the slight saltiness creeps through and takes away somewhat the joy and beauty of white chocolate. Talking about white chocolate, make sure you use good quality white chocolate. With as little as 5 ingredients in the cheesecake, each one counts in the end.
This is a great great recipe for beginners, for bakers, for cheesecake lovers and especially for people like me who need a springboard for creativity. I have already begun dreaming of what else I can do with this. For now, enjoy it as it is, a beautiful White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic strawberry topping. You could even do a light jelly topping that BetterButter did, but try this recipe you must! You can download the BetterButter app here – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.betterbutter.android
Recipe: White Chocolate Cheesecake 
Summary: White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic strawberry topping is a great recipe for beginners, for bakers, for cheesecake lovers and especially for people like me who need a springboard for creativity. You could even do a light jelly topping that Better Butter did, but try this recipe you must! Makes a 7″ cheesecake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- White Chocolate Cheesecake
- 200g white chocolate, melted {I used white baking chocolate}
- 200g Cream Cheese {Britannia}
- 4 eggs, separated
- pinch of salt
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped
- 1/2 tsp strawberry extract
- Topping
- 150g strawberries, quartered
- 40g brown sugar
- 1-2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 vanilla bean shell
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Garnish
- Fresh strawberries, thyme
Method:
- White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 7″ dessert ring or a loose bottomed baking tin.
- Place egg whites with a pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form
- In the meantime, place the melted white chocolate, egg yolks and cream cheese in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add vanilla and strawberry extract and whisk again.
- Add 1-2 tbsp of the beaten whites to loosen the mixture, then gently fold the rest in. I turned the chocolate mix into the bowl of the KitchenAid stand mixer as it is a large very convenient bowl to mix in.
- Transfer batter to prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 150C and bake for a further15 minutes. Finally, reduce the temperature to 120C and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely in tin, then chill for a few hours or overnight. Gently demold and place on serving platter.
- Top with strawberry topping, and scatter fresh thyme over.
- Topping
- Place all ingredients in a heavy bottom non-reactive saucepan. Simmer gently until thick and jam like. Taste and adjust sweetness if required. Cool. {Can be made a day or so in advance}
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Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India
Deeba @ PAB
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
10 Comments
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake
What a tempting cheesecake this looks like! Love the strawberry + balsamic topping, that is a cool flavor combo 🙂
avikumar
The Recipe looking delicious, thanks for share the tips.
check out for best cooking item :
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kirti
Every time I look at the photos posted by you. I feel mesmerized. I can feel the calmness and soothing effect which each pic carries. Sometimes I feel that they are about to speak and sometimes I feel that “Just eat it” Here is a small poem from my side to you –
Deeba – your name means silk,
And I can feel the same smoothness and softness in each picture which you click.
Your passion about baking is so soul-searching,
I can feel the serendipity and tranquility in your working :-)) just felt writing.
vanita
Lovely Lovely shot.. and what a vibrant creation.
Ridhima@Sprinkle&Glitter
This looks heavenly! Gorgeous photos!! Can’t wait to try this!
– http://sprinkleandglitter.blogspot.com/
Sophia Loren
I will prepare it myself and thank you for sharing making process.
Cecilia
Looks amazing. To bad strawberries aren’t in season in Sweden yet..
Sakshi
Wow! This recipe calls for a try ! Never made a cheesecake before, but I think can start with this one. Thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
https://outoftheovenbysakshidotorg.wordpress.com/