RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Spring is in the air! But for the past few days we've had summer weather here in Portugal. So to commemorate the soon to arrive season, it's only fitting to make a rich, luscious raspberry cheesecake. Traditionally, raspberries were a midsummer crop, but with new technology, cultivars, transportation and Portugal's Mediterranean climate, they can now be obtained year-round. 

The raspberry cheesecake recipe that I'm about to share with you is my mother's. It was Pia who reminded me of it the other day when she was reminiscing about how she used to love eating this dessert in my home in Hong Kong 30 years ago. Amazing how time flies! So this recipe post is dedicated to my mom and to Pia. I should also mention that my mom always thought it was such a joy to have Pia over for dinner, because she ate EVERYTHING (and with pleasure!) that my mom served her. My parents never understood how Pia could be so slim, when she had such an appetite! My mom even speculated that Pia had a tapeworm in her stomach that ate all the "extra" calories. 😂

INGREDIENTS AND METHOD:

Crust:

• 185 g Digestive cookies
• 90 g unsalted butter

1. Crush the cookies.
2. Melt the butter.
3. Mix in a food processor.
4. Pack the cookie crumb into the base of an approx. 20 cm mold.
5. Chill in the fridge while making the cheese filling.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Filling 1 (Cheese filling):

• 375 g Philadelphia cheese
• 1.25 dl (125 ml) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
• 3 eggs

1. Mix the cheese with the sugar and vanilla sugar into a smooth cream.
2. Add one egg at a time. Mix well.
3. Take out the base and pour the filling onto the cookie crust.
4. Bake in the microwave (600W) for about 6-8 minutes, until the surface solidifies.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Filling 2 (Sour cream filling):

• 300 g sour cream
• 1.5 teaspoon vanilla sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Mix well.
2. Pour onto the cheese filling (filling 1).
3. Bake in microwave (600W) for 1-2 minutes, until the surface solidifies.
4. Chill in the fridge while making the raspberry topping. 
   
   
   
   
   
   

Raspberry Topping:

• A box of frozen raspberries or fresh raspberries (approx. 300 g)
• 1.5 teaspoon sugar
• 1 gelatin sheet (optional)
• A tablespoon of water, if needed.

1. Mash the raspberries in a pot and add sugar and water.
2. Bring to a light boil.
3. Add the gelatin sheet. Mix well.
4. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Then remove from stove and let it cool.
5. Take out the base and pour the topping onto the sour cream filling (filling 2).
6. Put the cake back into the fridge and let it chill for one or two hours before serving.
   
   
   
   
   
   
    

   

   
   

    

   

   
   

   
   

Enjoy, Helena 😋