Vanilla Cheesecake Recipes

Everyone is familiar with the tempting fragrance of vanilla. It is the only flavor that can be used in foods, beverages, chocolates, perfumes and even paint. All in all, vanilla is much more than what meets the eye. So then, obviously, vanilla cheesecake is no different. There are several roads to one destination, similarly there are several recipes to create the most indulgent and tasty cheesecakes in the world.

Vanilla cheesecakes can be made using two different techniques - baked and non-baked. Whichever technique one may use, it is an item that takes time and needs patience to make.

Baked Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients that will be required.

• 8 digestive biscuits
• 50g butter , melted
• 600g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• Vanilla extract
• 175g caster sugar
• 2 eggs plus 1 yolk
• 142ml pot soured cream

The ingredients are only half the requirement for any recipe to work. Even the best procured ingredients will not be effective if the method of preparation is not right.

Preparation Method
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Crush the biscuits (you could put it in a food processor or in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin). Mix with the butter. Put it into a tin (springform, 20cm). Bake for 5 minutes. You can then keep it to cool.

Beat the cream cheese with flour, a few drops of vanilla, eggs, sugar, the yolk and soured cream until light and fluffy. Pour it into the tin. Bake it for 40 minutes and then check, it should be set but slightly wobbly in the center. Let it cool down in the tin itself.

The best recipes have few secrets. Mostly, it's just a little effort put in by the chef. One could try putting a handful of whole raspberries into the base before pouring over the cheese mixture. Mash and sieve 200g raspberries. Pour 2 tbsp of it over the top. Run a knife through large blobs (if any). Bake and serve the rest of the sauce on the side. You can put more raspberries on the cheesecake as garnishing.

The preparation takes about 20 minutes and the baking would take 40 minutes. You will have delicious baked vanilla cheesecake in an hour.

Non-baked Vanilla Cheesecake

List of ingredients

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 4 teaspoons vanilla blend (whichever is available)
• 1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 prepared graham cracker or vanilla crumb crust (6 ounces)

Directions for Preparation

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended and smooth. Gently stir the topping and spoon it into the crust.

Refrigerate it till it sets (should take approximately 3 hours). Top it with fresh strawberries, if desired. Make sure that you store the leftover cake in a refrigerator only (I don't think there should be any leftovers, it's irresistible!)

One has to keep in mind that non-baked cheesecakes need to be refrigerated, preferably without interference. As Julia Child beautifully words it, "Non-cooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet." Patience is the virtue to be kept in mind.