Red Velvet Cheesecake

I have been suffering a bit of writers block this week. I have been so excited to post this cheesecake for Liza’s birthday, but I’ve been a bit lost on what to say. We had such an amazing weekend celebrating on Wine Island and then a Sunday trip to Maroubra Beach, that I don’t think I can match it with any words. I also received some exciting news that day, which I will share with you all soon!

Pinterest showed me this cheesecake in my feed, pretty scary how it knows what I want! I’m not that confident with baked cheesecakes yet so I still need a bit of help when it comes to the ingredients. The link to the original recipe is below, I only altered it slightly in regards to Australian measurements and not using a water bath (those things give me anxiety). Also I used a different recipe for icing (which is also linked below) but that’s the great thing about baking you can really do whatever you like with it. I’m pretty terrible at following recipes which is why I tend to make it up as I go along and hope for the best. Anyway please excuse the shaky handwriting, icing really isn’t my forte!

Ingredients

20 Oreo cookies

80g butter, melted

750g cream cheese, softened

1cup caster sugar

3 Tbs cocoa

4 eggs

300mL sour cream

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

20 ml red food colouring

White Chocolate Icing

100g white cooking chocolate

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

3 Tbs thickened cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1-2 cups icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Process biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs are created. Combine with melted butter. Press biscuit crumbs into the base of a lightly greased 22cm springform pan using a flat bottomed glass to create even layer. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Reduce oven to 150°C. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat cream cheese, sugar and cocoa until smooth.

3. Add one egg at a time, remembering to scrape down side of bowl in-between each egg.

4. Add sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, beating on low speed.

5. Gradually add food colouring until you are happy with the intensity of the red and the mixture is well combined.

6. Pour mixture over crumb base and drop on counter a few time to release air bubbles.

7. Fill a roasting pan with warm water and place in bottom of the oven (you can use a water bath if you want to but I don’t like them). Place cheesecake on rack above the pan and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

8. Turn off the oven and leave cheesecake in for a further 30 minutes, then you can open the door ajar and leave for at least 20 minutes.

9. Let cheesecake cool completely out of oven before transferring to refrigerator to chill.

Icing 

1. Melt white chocolate in microwave safe bowl for 60 seconds, stir and heat for further 15 seconds if required.

2. Cream butter, and gradually add icing sugar until you are happy with the consistency.

3. Add vanilla and heavy cream, you may need to add more icing sugar after this step.

4. Gradually add the melted white chocolate until well combined.

5. If icing is too thin add more icing sugar, if too thick add more cream.

6. Decorate yo cheesecake!

Original recipe inspiration:

http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2015/01/28/red-velvet-cheesecake/

http://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/white-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/