Reader Nancy Mathena of Hobart contacted me last week about cheesecake recipes.
“We have an office party carry-in coming up and I’m thinking of bringing a homemade cheesecake, maybe strawberry or blueberry, and I’m wondering if you might have a suggestion for me,” Nancy asked.
My own personal pair of “go-to” homemade cheesecake recipes were both published more than a dozen years ago in this column, and are now preserved in two of my four cookbooks. “Good Behavior Prison Cheesecake” is a recipe with an added distinction that it came from my days in prison (teaching college classes for Purdue!) and is an old-fashioned New York style cheesecake variety, as included in “More From the Farm,” my 2007 cookbook.
My other delicious selection is one Northwest Indiana residents are especially fond of because of nostalgia, since it is a rare recipe discovery in homage to the cheesecakes once sold at the now long-gone Goldblatt’s department stores. This latter graham cracker crust creation is found in my third published cookbook “Further From the Farm” released in 2010.
However, most recently, a third luscious cheesecake recipe has taken acclaim and captured my taste buds and attention.
Taste of Home magazine recently announced the winners of its nationwide, “Recipes Across America” contest, heralding the name of my food columnist pal Laura Kurella as among the winners, since she received the “Most Innovative” award for development of a special Japanese cheesecake featuring Michigan cherries.
“I was pleasantly surprised to hear that this recipe won,” said Kurella, who is originally from Whiting.
– Original Credit: Photo courtesy of Laura Kurella
“I had gotten a bunch of fresh cherries from the farmers market, and was experimenting with Japanese cuisine at the time, so it was kismet that they collided into this winning combination.”
Taste of Home Deputy Culinary Editor James Schend said the “Recipes Across America” contest is designed “to seek out the most unique and fun recipes iconic to certain areas of the U.S.”
“In total, we received 350 recipes entries in this contest,” Schend said.
“Kurella’s recipe was a unique standout because we loved how light and airy this cheesecake was. It was almost souffle-like in its texture. It also wasn’t overly sweet and had a lovely lemon flavor, which we all enjoyed as well.”
Laura tells me her cheesecake is made following Japanese principles, which she suspects is what gave her recipe the strikingly different twist that earned her the win.
“It’s not like your typical New York style cheesecake,” she said.
“It has just four ounces of cheese, and is lighter, less sweet, and delightfully lower in calories than its American counterpart. It’s soft, chiffon-like consistency is truly a delight. It’s what makes it something special.”
First debuting in 1993, Taste of Home magazine ranks as one of America’s most popular sources for food, cooking and entertaining.
“I truly feel blessed by God,” Laura said.
“I am so grateful that this win helps ascend a recipe with marvelous Midwest cherries into a national magazine where it gets to be shared with the whole country. That is a reward in and of itself.”
Kurella’s winning Michigan Cherry Japanese-style Cheesecake recipe, along with other prize-winning recipes, appears in the February/March 2022 edition of Taste of Home magazine on newsstands now with more details at www.tasteofhome.com.
Laura describes her dessert creation as “a twist” on the traditional American cheesecake recipe.
“I decided to make great use of the extraordinary texture and unique taste found in a Japanese-style cheesecake, which hovers between a melt-in-your-mouth angel food cake and a traditional American cheesecake,” she said.
“Providing a delectable, cloud-like taste contrast for tart Michigan cherries to sing out their flavorful goodness, I amplify it just a bit with a touch cayenne pepper for a chorus of tastes and textures to blends into a delightful melody that makes you want to sigh, ‘Oh my.’ “
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Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at [email protected] or mail your questions: From the Farm, P.O. Box 68, San Pierre, IN 46374.
Michigan Cherry “Zing” Japanese-style Cheesecake
Makes 8 servings
4 ounces cream cheese
7 tablespoons butter, divided use
2/3 cup heavy cream
12 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided use
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 lemon (zest only)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch, divided use
2 cups tart Michigan Cherries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 cup cold water
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place a large brownie or lasagna size pan in oven and then fill to a 1/2-inch depth of water. Line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with a 4-inch collar of parchment paper then cut a circle to fit the bottom of the pan, overlapping sides slightly, then set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk cheese and butter until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in cream until smooth then set aside to let cool.
3. Separate eggs, reserving 6 yolks for another purpose. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat 12 egg whites until you see soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat until shiny peaks form.
4. While whites beat, in a separate large bowl, using a hand whisk, whisk 6 egg yolks until smooth, then slowly drizzle in cooled down cream cheese mixture, stirring until evenly combined. Whisk in vanilla and lemon zest just to combine then, in a sifter utensil, combine flour and 1/4 cup of the cornstarch then sift into cheese mixture making sure to avoid any lumps.
5. Once egg whites form shiny peaks, fold one third of the whites into the cheese mixture, then fold in remaining whites, folding until thoroughly combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared springform pan then carefully lower cake into the water-filled pan that’s been preheating in oven. Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce heat to 280 degrees. Bake for an additional 55 minutes, or until the cake has risen to almost double its height and center cracks.
7. While cake bakes, make Michigan Cherry topping by washing, stemming, and pitting cherries if needed. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining tablespoon of butter, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining cornstarch, cayenne and water.
8. Over medium heat, stir until cornstarch liquefies and mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, then cook while stirring, until thickened and slightly reduced, about five minutes. Allow to cool down before placing on cake.
9. Carefully remove cake from oven by lifting cake out of water bath and placing on stove. Carefully unlock springform and remove parchment collar. (NOTE: If desired, invert cake by placing a cake plate on top of pan and flipping before unlocking springform. Gently peel off parchment paper after removing ring.)
10. To serve: Sprinkle top of cake with powdered sugar then top with Michigan Peppered Cherry Topping, if desired. Store cake and topping in refrigerator.