Oreo and blueberry cheesecake

Cheesecake has a special place in my heart and home. It is a hot favorite in any party as it is fancy and tasty. I would never miss a chance to enjoy a slice. If people say, ‘no’, to this cake it could be due to health reasons. Definitely, it is a wonderful, dessert cake!

Using blueberries that are in season make it a real summer treat with a beautiful color. I used Oreo cookie crumbs because that is a nice contrast to the creamy cheese layer. You can use graham cracker crust or any cookie crust. I once added some crackers to my cookie crust and that added balance and saltiness. This is surely a summer cake as we can chill it and eat it cold.

You would have noticed that I like to make my cakes with fewer eggs. Here I have used 1 egg whereas other recipes I referred had included 3-4 eggs. If you like a cheese cake with less eggy this is the one for you. I have done a mini cheesy cupcakes with raspberries earlier here : cheese-cupcakes. I used the same recipe to make this in a 7″ round cake pan with a blueberry glaze.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1½ cup Oreo cookie crumb
• 21/2 tbsp butter melted
• 1 tbsp sugar

Filling

• 1 ½ cup cream cheese/500 grams
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Blueberry glaze

• 1 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Garnish

Blueberries and a sprig of mint

To make the cake

1. Mix Oreo crumb, sugar and butter.
2. In a separate bowl combine cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
3. Add egg, lemon juice, vanilla extract, sour cream and beat well.
4. Preheat oven to 325° F.
5. Cut parchment paper slightly bigger than the bottom of the pan (see note*) and fit it inside the springform pan.
6. Spread Oreo cookie crumb mixture inside the pan, pressing it to the bottom and slightly up on the sides.
7. Pour cheese cake mix on the Oreo layer.
8. Place the pan on the middle rack and bake for 45-50 minutes.
9. Bake until a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. (Turn off the oven when the center is still jiggly.)
10. Let it cool on a rack. It firms up on cooling.
11. Run a butter knife gently around the inside of the pan to release the cake from the sides.
12. Remove the cake from the pan and put it in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

To make blueberry glaze

1. Take blueberries in a pan and add sugar on top and let it cook.
2. When it boils, mash the berries add water and boil for a few more minutes.
3. Sieve and collect 1 cup syrup from the mashed berries.
4. Pour it into another pan and add lime juice, corn flour little by little and mix well.
5. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and starts to boil.
6. Continue to boil for 2 minutes or until mixture is jelly like.
7. Cool it a little and pour it on the cake and spread it with a spatula.

Note

* Cut the parchment paper by tracing the circle outside the bottom of the pan. Trim the extra paper to avoid it burning. Place this paper on the bottom of the pan so as to remove the cake with ease after baking.

Use cream cheese that is at room temperature and smooth it with a spoon to get a nice paste. I had some grainy bits in my mix and it was difficult to break it with a beater. It did not affect the taste though!

I have read that cheesecakes stick to the sides of the pan. Using a piece of parchment paper around the periphery of the pan would make it easier to remove. But this cake moved away from the side of the pan after it was baked. I am not sure why! The sides turned a golden color…maybe I baked it longer than needed.

Top the cheesecakes with blueberry glaze when still warm and spread evenly. It hardens on cooling and is difficult to spread.

Decorate with blueberries and mint leaves. Cool it in a fridge, cut into slices and serve.

This is a wonderful cake with its silky rich, creamy center and a crumbly bottom crust. It is dense and light at the same time making it a unique cake. You can use frozen berries and make it throughout the year.

I was reluctant and afraid of baking cheesecakes earlier…not anymore. Don’t be intimidated…it looks difficult but in reality, it is quite easy.  The only danger with this cake is, you will not be able to stop with one slice. Have a lovely day!