Tangerine Vanilla Cheesecake

So, some personal news: my partner and I got engaged and bought a townhouse! Despite all the depressing news, there has been some specialness in my life too. And so – not just to destress, but also to celebrate – I have been baking. One result of this baking is this tangerine vanilla cheesecake.

I have written about the Jewish history of cheesecake before on the blog, and others have covered this topic well too. I have based this cheesecake on a well-known recipe made by the since-closed Three Cities of Spain coffee shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The sour cream topping adds a tang, hides any cracks, obviates the need for a water bath, and creates a wonderful contrast in texture with the cream cheese-custard filling. Three Cities of Spain was a well-known artists’ hangout – including for many Jewish artists, musicians, and writers – and one of the many places where Jewish hippies began their reinvention of American Jewish cuisine in the 1960’s. (A hint for a forthcoming blog post.) In any case, this cheesecake’s sour cream topping reminds me of the many tangy, creamy Ashkenazi Jewish desserts – and many of the tasty cakes one might find in a Ukrainian or Russian bakery.

I add tangerine or mandarin to this cheesecake for some additional tang and floral-ness. My friend Michael described this cake as akin to an orange creamsicle. I hope you enjoy!

Tangerine Vanilla Cheesecake

Adapted from the Three Cities of Spain Cheesecake and Deb Perelman’s version of the same recipe

Crust:

11 sheets graham crackers, blitzed into crumbs (use a food processor or a rolling pin)

6 ½ tablespoons/92.5g butter, melted

Filling:

24 oz/680 grams cream cheese, softened

4 large eggs, room temperature

Zest and juice of one large or two medium tangerines

¾ cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

8 oz/227 g sour cream

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

A few drops orange blossom water (optional)

Method

1. Line an 8”/9” (20cm/23cm) springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom.
2. Mix the crust ingredients together until combined. Pour into the springform pan and push down and evenly spread across the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least ten minutes.
3. Preheat your oven to 350F/175C.
4. In a bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and significantly increased in volume.
5. Add the eggs, zest, and juice and beat on low speed until fully combined. (Note: if your eggs are still cold and cause the cream cheese to congeal a bit again – you can use an immersion blender to get a thoroughly smooth result. Pulse until the clump is gone.)
6. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on low speed until just combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the cheesecake is mostly set except for the center.
8. While the cheesecake is baking, mix together the topping ingredients.
9. Remove the cheesecake from the oven. Immediately add the topping on top of the cheesecake, and use a spatula or spoon to spread evenly across the top of the cheesecake.
10. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and let cool on rack for 30 minutes.
12. Then, refrigerate the cheesecake for at least six hours.
13. Run a knife along the tin, then remove the springform collar. The cheesecake keeps refrigerated for up to six days in the refrigerator.

Thank you to David Ouziel (my partner and fiancé!), Michael Faccini, and my fellow congregants at Mishkan Torah synagogue for assistance with User Acceptance Testing.