Japanese-style Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries

With all the turmoil that is unfolding in Japan, the Japanese people are much in my thoughts these days. I admire so much about them—their quiet patience and tenacity in the face of catastrophe; their centuries-old customs and rituals; their style and creativity; and, of 

course, their incredible cuisine. While Japanese cuisine is a thing unto its own, occasionally they have been known to put their own spin on American foods, including cheesecake. Japanese-style cheesecake is similar in appearance to its American cousin, and is 

made with almost the same ingredients, but it is distinctly different. It’s much, much lighter than our cheesecake, and is made with a fraction of the amount of cream cheese. It also has whipped egg whites folded into the batter, giving it a light-as-a-cloud, spongy 

texture that is sublime. If you’ve never tried it, I urge you to give it a whirl—you’ll be amazed at how wonderful it is and wonder why no one has told you about this incredible cake before. This recipe came from a pastry chef friend of mine, and I adapted it slightly, 

adding lemon zest and vanilla and scaling down the amount of batter to fit in an 8-inch springform pan. Though I chose fresh raspberries, you can top this cheesecake with any berry or fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or peaches. It would work very nicely with caramelized apples, I think.

To donate to the Red Cross’s earthquake relief effort in Japan, click here.

Cheesecake Ice Cream

I've always been a cheesecake junkie. I love all types and forms, from rustic Italian ricotta cheesecake to dense, knock-your-socks-off New York-style cheesecake. Even frozen cheesecake sounds great to me, so I thought I'd try making a cheesecake-inspired ice cream. My friend Marshall Rosenthal, a pastry chef in Minnesota, makes a version with chunks of baked, chilled cheesecake in it, crust and all. I decided to try adding cream cheese and sour cream to a simple base of creme anglaise. I made a graham cracker crust, broke it into chunks, and served the ice cream on top. A refreshing strawberry sauce is the ideal accompaniment to this delightfully rich ice cream.



Cheesecake Ice Cream with Strawberry Sauce
Makes about 1 1/2 pints

Cheesecake Ice Cream:
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
8 large egg yolks
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Strawberry Sauce:
One 16-ounce bag frozen strawberries, thawed
1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Make the ice cream base:
1. Combine the milk with 1/2 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until scalding. Remove from heat.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the yolks. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to leave a path in the back of the sauce-coated spoon when you drag your finger across it. The mixture should register 170 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer. Add the cream cheese, one chunk at a time, whisking until it is completely melted. Pour the custard into a large
bowl. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Make the crust:
3. Preaheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan. Bake the crust for about 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely.
4. Use a butter knife to break the crust up into irregular chunks (1 inch or smaller).

Process the ice cream:
5. Process the ice cream base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pack the ice cream into an airtight container and freeze for a least 4 hours, until firm.

Make the sauce:
6. Process the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a food processor until pureed. Strain through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.

To serve:
7. Spoon some graham cracker crust chunks in the bottom of a glass or bowl. Scoop some ice cream on top and serve the sauce in a small pitcher alongside.