Cheesecake!

A couple of weeks ago, I went with a friend to the Hobby fair, I'll explain in another post what exactly is that, but I just couldn't wait to write what we saw there!

Do you remember California Bakery (one of my favorite places in Milan)? Well, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that they had a stand in this Hobby fair we attended, but it was an even better surprise to discover they were having a cheesecake class there! So, for you all, here's the photo recipe:


Cheesecake California-Bakery-style

Ingredients:
for the base:
150 gr crushed biscuits (not dry, in Italy, you can try krumiri)
30 gr sugar
90 gr good quality butter, melted
for the filling:
250 gr cream cheese - in Italy, try robiola (no Philadelphia!)
50 gr sugar
1/3 beans of a vanilla stick
250 ml fresh cream
cooking tools:
20 cm. cake mold with removable rim
3/4 medium bowls
1 spoon
1 knife
1 silicone spatula
1 bowl (for whipping cream)
1 whisk (you can use electric whisks)

1. Prepare the base: crush the biscuits in a bowl, add the sugar and the melted butter (careful not to fry the butter when you melt it). Mix with your hands.

2. Once it is well mixed, start putting it in the mold, begining with the sides, pressing with your fingertips. The base and sides must be about 1 cm. thick.
When you're done, put it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

3. In another bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla beans and mix carefully with a spoon.

4. & 5. Whip the cream. Both the whisks and the bowl (another bowl) you'll use should be in the fridge before using them. Whip with your hands using the whisk - use a bowl filled with ice under your whipping bowl - or (what I'll definitely do) use the electric whisks. Whip until the cream has reached a consistency such that when you pick it up with the whisk it stays there and doesn't fall.

6. Add half the cream to the cheese & vanilla mixture and gently mix using the silicone spatula. Mix from the bottom to the top, being careful not to press it down cutting the mixture. Then add this to the rest of the cream and mix gently like before.

7. Start filling your base by distributing it evenly.

When you're done, you should put it in the freezer and leave it there for at least 3/4 hours. This allows you to take out of the mold and put it in a cake plate to serve it.
After you've taken it out of the mold you should leave it for another half hour in the fridge.
You can also add some berries before serving, if you like.