This smooth and creamy maple cheesecake may become one of your absolute favourite cakes. Made with real Canadian maple syrup and layers of maple flavour, this cake is perfect for celebrating fall.
Rarely do I pause to consider whether using an ingredient is worth itโif the meal is worthy, the recipe worthy, the occasion? Most ingredients are replaceable, meant to be used and enjoyed, and I would rather use them than let them waste in the pantry, potentially expiring. Maple syrup, though, the good stuff, is not like that. Maple syrup is worth its weight in gold. And when I have a bottle of small-batch, pure Canadian maple syrup, I pause every time. Is the dish worthy?
This cheesecake uses a lot of maple syrup. And I promise the recipe is so worthy. If you are like me and appreciate good quality maple syrup, not pancake syrup, but the sweet, rich, yet pure flavour of good maple syrup, you want to make this cake.
And to make this cake all about maple syrup, specifically canadian maple sryup, I have layered in all the best of canadian maple flavours including those cute lille maple leaf shaped cookies, a good canadian mapley whisky and of course local canadian maple syrup. Then topped it all off with maple whipped cream and maple glazed pecans.
I know - it seems a lot. But trust me.. so worth the time and effort.
How to layer maple flavour in this maple cheesecake
For the crust
I used Dare Maple Sandwich cookies for the crust. If you cannot find Dare Maple Sandwich cookies where you live, go ahead and use another brand. Do me a favour though and try one first. Make sure you love the cookie. Some maple cookies can be harsh and phony tasting - just not good. So try one first. And if you can't find a maple cookie you like, use your favourite vanilla sandwich cookie.
For the maple cheesecake
For this recipe I used both maple whisky and good quality dark maple sryup. Maple whisky can be hard to come by. I used this maple whisky, made in Canada. I highly recommend a little on the rocks to sip after dessert. In my cake I used ยผ cup of maple whisky and ยผ cup of good quality dark maple syrup. My syrup was gifted from a friend that makes their own. But I like this store brand. Look for dark roast or even grade B which tends to be darker than Grade A. The darker the syrup the more intense the maple flavour.
If you don't have maple whisky, use a full ยฝ cup of dark maple syrup.
Maple Whipped Cream
Simple, and easy this maple whipped cream is an easy addition to your maple cheesecake. You can pipe it like I did, or simply serve on the side.
Maple-glazed pecans
I like the texture toasted pecans add to this cake. Sauteeing pecans in maple syrup for a few minutes will toast the pecans and coat them in a lovely mapley-glaze. Very much worth the few extra minutes this takes. Use this recipe. Or purchased your favourite candied nuts and sprinkle on the cake.
A few notes about making a cheesecakes
Cheesecake takes time. Plan ahead. You cannot whipped this up for the family diner tonight. A like to make my cheesecake base - toppings can wait. But the cake, I like to make the day before, even two days before if that is how your schedule works. Cheesecake needs to cool completely before you take it out of the plan this helps avoid cracks.
How to prevent your cheesecake from cracking
First things first -- if you are going to cover your cake with fruit or something thick an gooey doen't worry about this section. Like this apple cheesecake or this pecan pie cheesecake. Both are covered in a topping that hides all sins.
But, if you want a perfectly smooth and crack free cheesecake read on.
These are my tips. And when I want to be 100% sure I have no cracks in my cake top, I do all of these things and I still cross my fingers. But the below tips will work most of the time.
And if for some reason all this fails, make a bigger batch of whipped maple cream and slather it all over the top, sprinkel with some maple glazed pecans and call it done. It will be beautiful.
1. Use a foodprocessor
I have learned over time that using a foodprocessor to mix my cheesecake base results in the creamest cheesecake and less cracks. I'm not a food scienctist, but I suspect it works so well because a food processor does not whip. A food processor does not add air to the cheesecake base - whereas a blender, hand mixer or stand mixer adds air to the cake. You don't want air bubbles in your cheesecake - those little air bubbles will work their way up to the surface as your cake bakes and cause it to crack.
You will need a high capacity food processor. 12-14 cup capacity, like this one.
If you don't have a a food processor -- use a hand mixer or a stand mixer - but you most defineity want to move on to step 2. Prehaps even repeating step 2 twice.
2. Run your cake base through a seive
I've also learned to use a fine mesh seive and run my cake through a seive as I pour it into the prepared cake pan. The seive also helps remove air bubbles as well as any bits of cheese or batter that did not blend completely resulting is a velvety smooth cheesecake. Again - no air bubbles... no cracks.
3. Use a waterbath
To make a waterbath for your cheesecake you will need a roasting pan bigger than your cheesecake ban that is at least 3 inches deep. I use my LeCreuset braiser as it is about 14 inches wide and so big enough to fit my 9-inch springform pan. Any deep roasting or baking pan wil do.
To make a water bath, once you are ready to bake your cheesecake:
- First you must prepare the springform pan and its best to do this before you make the crust. Cover the outside of your springform pan with two layers of alumium foil. I use this kind. Trust me you want the extra wide and extra sturdy foil, heavy duty foil. The foil prevents water from the waterbath getting into your cake and making the crust soggy.
- Make the crust according to your recipe.
- Heat a kettle full of hot water - about 1 L (4 cups) or more.
- Pour cheesecake mixture into prepared crust. Place spring-form pan into the roasting pan and place whole thing in the oven.
- Once the water in the kettle is ready, carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan so that it surrounds the cheesecake, and rises up the outside of the spring-form pan about halfway. Bake your cake as directed in the recipe.
- Top of cake should be firm but still slightly jiggly at the top at the end of the baking time. Turn off the oven and allow the cake to cool in the oven for about 30 minutes, then remove from oven and the water bath and cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Let your cake cool completely
Let your cake cool gradually and completely. Let the temperture come down gradually. I can't emphasis this point enough.
First I let it sit in the oven, oven turned off, and door ajar for about 30-40 minutes.
Then, I remove the cake from oven, remove from the water bath and let it sit on a cooling rack for a good hour or more. It should be room temperature before being put into the fridge. If the pan still feels warm, let it sit longer.
Finally I move it to the refridgerator but don't cover with plastic or foil, drap it with a clean dish towel. The towel will help prevent condensation. Let it completely chill in the refrigator - preferably overnight. Its still in springform pan at this point.
๐ Recipe
Maple Cream Cheesecake
Required equipment
- 10 inch spring form pan 9 inch spring form pan can be used instead but will impact cooking time.
- Food processor with blade attachment 12-14 cup is best
- Fine mesh seive
- Roasting pan or other large and shallow pan This is for the waterbath, so make sure the spring form pan fits inside
Ingredients
Crust
- 300 g maple sandwich cookies I used Dare brand
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (if you used salted butter skip the salt in the crust)
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake filling
- 32 oz cream cheese at room temperature. I use 50/50 full fat and light cream cheese
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ยผ cup maple syrup dark maple syrup has more flavour
- ยผ cup maple whisky or a maple cream whisky, or maple syrup, or combination, see Note
Toppings
- 1 cup maple candied pecans
- 2 cups maple whippped cream
Instructions
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare the spring form pan for a water bath by wrapping the outside of the pan in 2 layers of aluminum foil. Avoid seams and ensure the foil reaches the top of the sides of the pan without wrapping around to the inside. Set this aside.
Make the maple cookie crust
- In a food processer blitz cookies until uniformly ground to a powder resembling gram cracker crumbs or bread crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse several times to evenly distribute the butter. Crumbs to stick together slightly when pressed between your fingers. Press maple cookie mixture into the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Use your fingers or the bottom of a flat cup to press the crust evenly along the bottom. It is okay if the crust goes up the sides a bit. Set this aside.300 g maple sandwich cookies, 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, ยฝ teaspoon salt
Prepare cheesecake filling
- Using a food processer for best results, add cream cheese to the food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Pause machine and scrap down the sides once or twice. Ensure the cream cheese is perfectly smooth before moving to the next step.32 oz cream cheese
- To the food processor add brown sugar, vanilla, salt and flour and process until smooth and fully incorporated. Scrapping sides at least once. Add eggs one at a time, processing after each addition. (or do this as the machine is running). Pour in maple syrup and maple whisky and process.1 cup packed brown sugar, 3 teaspoon vanilla extract, ยฝ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon all purpose flour, 4 large eggs, ยผ cup maple syrup, ยผ cup maple whisky
- To ensure a smoother cheese cake, pour batter through a fine mesh seive before pouring into the prepared cookie base. This helps remove air bubbles and prevent cracking. Tap the filled cake pan sharply on the counter to encourage bubbles to rise to the top.
- Place the spring form pan inside the larger roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan, it should come up the sides of the cake can by a couple of inches.
- Bake for about 70 minutes or until the cake is set, the edges look firm. The center may be a bit jiggly at this point. Leaving the cake in the oven, turn off the oven and crack the oven door slightly to allow the cake to finish and cool slowly. Let is sit for about 1 hour.
- Remove the cake from the oven and from the water bath. Allow to cool completely on the counter. To not move to the refrigerator until completely cooled to room temperature.
- Once completely cooled, you can move to the refrigerator. I like to cover gently (just drapped) with a clean dishcloth when storing in the fridge. Cake can be made to this point the day before (my prefered approach) or even several days ahead.
Assemble
- Carefully remove the cake from the spring form pan. As the cake has cooled, it shoud have already released from the edges of the pan and should come off cleanly. Top the cake with whipped cream and candied pecans. Serve1 cup maple candied pecans, 2 cups maple whippped cream
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