Cal Cake

Although we usually think of cheesecake as being born and raised in New York, it was actually a popular dessert in Britain and Ireland in the 17th century, where it was made with an acidic fruit and cream--the cream and acid curdled and created a cheesy texture. We know it wasn’t made with convenient little blocks of cream cheese.

As a Southern Californian, I didn’t taste New York-style cheesecake until I was old enough to vote, and when I did, I didn’t like it. Dense and weighty, it seemed like a slightly sweet main course.

Much later I was introduced to what I call California cheesecake. Light, creamy and sweet, with a crunchy graham cracker crust, it was wonderful.

When you make the basic California cheesecake, make enough graham cracker crumbs for two crusts and freeze the extra. Then when you want cheesecake, all you have to do is mix the filling, add melted butter to the crumbs, line the springform pan and bake.

Although both of these recipes are in the California cheesecake style, the Raised Cheesecake is lighter than the basic Cheesecake. Always have the cream cheese at room temperature to make mixing the batter easier. Don’t worry if, when beating the batter, some very tiny bits don’t disappear; they will melt while baking.

Cheesecake is perfect served with fresh sweetened berries or sliced summer fruit.

CHEESECAKE

1 cup zwieback or graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted, plus extra for buttering pan

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

Combine crumbs, melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/4 cup sugar.

Butter 9-inch springform pan and pat crumb mixture over bottom and 1 inch up sides. Chill.

Beat egg yolks with electric mixer until thick and light yellow. Add sour cream, flour, salt, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla and cream cheese and beat until smooth.

Beat egg whites until foamy, then gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff and shiny. Fold into cream cheese mixture.

Spoon into pan lined with crust. Bake at 325 degrees until center doesn’t tremble when shaken, 55 to 65 minutes. Remove, cool, then refrigerate. This cheesecake freezes well.

12 servings. Each serving:

347 calories; 248 mg sodium; 133 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.02 gram fiber.

RAISED CHEESECAKE

PASTRY

1 cup flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons sugar

FILLING

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs, separated

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

PASTRY

Combine flour and butter. Add egg yolk and sugar; blend well.

Take apart 9-inch springform pan with removable bottom. Press half of pastry onto bottom and bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove and cool. Lower oven to 350 degrees.

Fit rim of pan around bottom. Press remaining pastry around inside of rim about halfway up sides (don’t worry if crust is not perfectly even). Set aside.

FILLING

Beat cheese until soft. Add flour and sugar and mix well. Add egg yolks, whipping cream, sour cream, and vanilla and beat well.

Beat egg whites with salt in separate bowl until soft peaks form, but whites are not dry. Fold whites into cheese mixture and pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees until center doesn’t tremble when shaken, about 45 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature.

12 servings. Each serving:

335 calories; 265 mg sodium; 165 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.03 gram fiber.

* Handpainted table from Pallets of Plates, South Pasadena.