Cheesecake with Fruity Sauce
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Oat base swapped with crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, melted margarine. Cream cheese reduced, ricotta added. Flour replaced with cornstarch. Vanilla kept. Sour cream swapped with Greek yogurt. Eggs remain. Mixed frozen berries puréed into coulis, sweetened to taste. Baking times varied slightly for crust and bake. Cheesecake cooled before sauce. Sauce sieved to remove seeds. Optional caramel added for serving. Quantities reduced by 30 percent overall.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#dessert
#baking
#cheesecake
#fruit sauce
#ricotta
Cheesecake. Not the usual oats but crushed crackers. Less cream cheese, ricotta joins. Flour out, cornstarch in. Vanilla stays. Sour cream replaced by tangy Greek yogurt. Eggs still binding thick. Berries thawed, crushed, sweetened. Sieved to remove seeds. Oven runs cooler, bake time tweaked. Crust shorter bake too. Leave cake inside warm oven after to settle.
Ingredients
Crust
- 260 ml crushed graham crackers
- 50 ml brown sugar
- 50 ml melted margarine
Filling
- 2 packets 250 g cream cheese softened
- 125 ml ricotta cheese
- 125 ml sugar
- 30 ml cornstarch
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 100 ml Greek yogurt
- 3 eggs
Sauce
- 1 can 300 g frozen mixed berries thawed
- Sugar to taste
About the ingredients
Crust swaps classic oats for graham crackers — crunchier, less dense. Brown sugar softens margarine fats for binding. Part cream cheese tempered with ricotta, lighter texture. Cornstarch steadies filling without flour’s heaviness. Greek yogurt adds slight tang replacing sour cream’s creaminess. Vanilla extract for aroma. Berries frozen mixed: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries — puréed then strained to smooth sauce. Sugar adjusted by taste; berry sweetness varies.
Method
- 1. Heat oven to 175 C 350 F.
- 2. Mix crackers, sugar, margarine. Press firmly in 20 cm springform pan liner. Bake 12 minutes center rack. Cool crust.
- 3. Beat cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, cornstarch electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla, yogurt, eggs - blend well. Pour on crust.
- 4. Bake 55 minutes center rack. Turn oven off, leave inside 10 minutes more. Remove, cool fully before sauce.
- 5. Blend thawed berries puree smooth. Add sugar if needed. Press puree through sieve to strain seeds.
- 6. Cut cooled cheesecake, serve with berry sauce or optional dulce de leche drizzle.
Cooking tips
Preheat oven 175°C rather than 180 to limit crust over-browning. Crust mix pressed firmly creates sturdy base; bake 12 min avoids sogginess. Mixing cheeses and sugar until smooth critical; lumps spoil texture. Add vanilla, yogurt, eggs last to keep air incorporated. Bake 55 minutes not more, then rest in warm oven for stabilization. Cool fully before sauce. Purée berries well, taste for sugar and strain seeds for silky sauce. Dulce de leche a final option for richness.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Bake crust at lower temp 175°C. Prevents over-browning. Press firmly graham cracker mix. Brown sugar softens margarine fats. Shorter bake keeps base crisp, stops sogginess. Cool crust fully before filling.
- 💡 Cream cheese softened first. Beat cream cheese, ricotta, sugar well. Lumps spoil texture. Add vanilla, yogurt, eggs last. Mix gently but thorough. Incorporate air to keep filling light. Cornstarch stabilizes, no flour heaviness.
- 💡 After 55 min bake, oven off leave cheesecake inside 10 mins. Helps setting, avoids cracking from sudden temp drops. Remove and cool fully on rack before sauce prep. Cooling prevents sauce melding or seeping.
- 💡 Frozen mixed berries thaw completely. Puree smooth with blender. Taste puree for sugar. Strain with fine sieve to remove seeds. Makes sauce silky without grainy texture. Adjust sweetness to balance tartness.
- 💡 Optional drizzle: dulce de leche for richness. Serve sauce chilled or room temp. Slice cheesecake with hot dry knife for clean cuts. Keep leftover covered in fridge, sauce separate to keep fresh.
Common questions
Why use graham crackers for crust?
Crunchier than oats. Brown sugar binds better with melted margarine. Holds shape baked short time. Stops soggy base common with oat crusts.
Can I replace ricotta with only cream cheese?
Yes but texture richer denser. Ricotta lightens filling, adds slight tang. Without it, filling firmer. Adjust baking as needed, watch cracks.
How to avoid cracked cheesecake?
Gradual cooling key. Leave in warm oven 10 minutes after baking. Cooling too fast makes cracks. Use springform pan loose release helps. Avoid overmixing batter too.
How store leftovers best?
Wrap cheesecake tightly with plastic wrap or use airtight container. Berry sauce separate in fridge. Keeps sauce fresh longer. Cheesecake lasts 3-4 days chilling. Not freezer friendly well.
