Mango Cheesecake

This is a really late new year post.. I've been busy lately with a few orders.. And I haven't even got to touch my Daring Bakers Dec challenge.. Although I have bought the ingredients early.. I feel disappointed in myself..sigh~

Let's take a look at 2010.. It was a really bad start but eventually it got better.. Which year doesn't have its ups downs? I went through tumultuous times where I fell into a deep hole and had to get back up, myself ultimately.. But I think I couldn't do it without my friends.. I can't thank them enough.. and of course my boyfriend who's always there for me.. :) What I learnt is that you gotta stay strong and focus.. you'll get through it in time.. It will only get better..

As for my baking, I think I'm improving.. But there's always room for more improvement.. I managed to complete my very first PME Course in Sugarflowers.. To me, that was an achievement.. I totally enjoyed every moment of it.. I made my very first wedding order.. Feel kinda proud of myself that I manage to pull through.. From baking, I had to learn to become a botanist, florist, photographer, designer and many more.. haha.. I hope to become better in every aspect.. 

One thing never change though, I still do not eat much of my own baking AND I still don't like the taste of fondant.. hahaha.. I enjoy the process of baking and watching people eat the goods.. But I'm too critical of myself.. Nothing is ever good enough.. But I do bake some of my cravings a few times.. But I get sick of it the moment I bite into it.. Lol.. Don't ask me why.. I don't know, I guess.. Watching people happily eating, enjoying and finishing my baked goods makes me happier and contented than anything else..  

I've never liked fondant from day one.. But I know I couldn't avoid it..  They make cakes really pretty and awesome looking but I just can't see how people can eat it.. For me, I don't have a sweet tooth anymore... Hence, too sweet a thing will just turn me off.. Thats the reason why I roll my fondant as thin as possible when I decorate cakes.. It has its pros and cons.. But I want to let people eat what I will eat.. If you get what I mean.. My principle has always been to make cakes that taste good.. It's hard to balance taste and looks at the same time, but I guess I just have to try my very best to fulfill it.. I'm just a firm believer in taste and quality..

Moving on, I've never really seen much places selling fruity flavoured cheesecakes besides strawberry.. Have you?? Hence, when a friend of mine requested for one, I was quite excited to try it.. 

I'm not a big fan of mango.. I do eat mangoes, depending on my mood... I dislike the drink and I don't really fancy the ice cream.. Cakes are not so bad.. But I know alot of people actually do like it a lot.. And since, I've never really seen any shops selling Mango Cheesecake, I will take the challenge and make my own.. I tried 2 different mango cheesecake recipes.. Both has their own like-ability factor.. In the end, I had to adjust a bit here and there to make the nicer version in my own terms.. :) However, I will share the recipes that I tried with you guys.. 

The first recipe I tried was from Catherine Lau's Cheesecake Seduction book.. The mango cheesecake came out really pleasant looking.. Nice colour, Firm and Refreshing mango hint in the cheesecake.. It baked nicely..

The 2nd recipe I made was from Giada De Laurentiis.. I simply adore her.. cos she's so pretty and has an amazingly seductive tonation and voice.. hahaha.. I know it sounds crazy but I would go ga-ga about her if i were a guy/man.. haha.. Her cheesecake had ricotta cheese and way more mango puree in it, which made the cheeseake softer.. richer.. nicer to some tasters.. But I think I baked it too short, hence the cheesecake was still soft.. The cheesecake didn't have a nice outlook because I do not have a food processor to smoothen the ricotta cheese.. Ricotta seems to coagulate into small globules while mixing using my KitchenAid.. Which becomes apparent when you slice the cheesecake.. I did bring the cheese to room temperature but the batter still didn't turn out smooth.. Guess it's time I invest in a food processor.. :)

Both cheesecakes are wonderful.. Which is better depends on the individual.. Most of my tasters preferred Giada's recipe but I think Catherine's recipe was less cloying and I would eat more than 1 slice of it.. So, why don't you guys try it out.. and tell me which is nicer.. ;)

Giada's recipe on the left and Catherine's on the right

Mango Cheesecake (taken from Catherine Lau's  Cheesecake Seduction)
(my notes in red) 

Base
110g Butter
200g Disgestive Biscuit, finely crushed
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
50g Cornflakes

My Version:

12 pcs digestive biscuit

Approx 1 tbsp caster sugar

Approx 4oz unsalted butter, melted

Filling
500g Cream Cheese, diced
120g Castor Sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Custard Powder, sifted
30g Cornflour, sifted
360g Mango Puree
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
200ml Whipping Cream

Topping
1 Mango, Sliced
40g Apricot Glaze
40 ml Water

1. Preheat oven to 150 deg C.

2.Prepare base. Melt butter over low heat. Add combined biscuits, sugar, cornflakes. Fry until fragrant. Press into a greased 23 cm springform of false-bottomed pan with your hands OR the back of a metal spoon. Cover cake pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
My version: Grind the biscuits to your own coarse-ness. Stir sugar into the biscuit and pour butter over the biscuit mix. Press the biscuit onto the base of a 9" springform of false-bottomed pan round pan with the help of the back of a metal spoon. Leave aside.

3. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, custard powder and cornflour and beat until smooth. (To lessen dishwashing chore ;), I sift the custard powder and cornflour on top of the sugar in a bowl).
4. On low speed, add mango puree. Slowly pour in the eggs and mix until just combined. Add cream and blend until mixture thickens.

5. Pour filling on biscuit base. Place cake pan in water bath. Bake for 1hr 15min or until filling is set but slightly soft in the centre.

6. Turn over off. Leave cake in oven for 30 minutes with the door closed. Remove water bath from oven. Leave cake to cool completely in oven with the door ajar.

7. Arrange mango slices on cake. (After cheesecake cools, I refrigerate the cheesecake overnight or at least 4 hrs. I arrange the mango slices on it after I took it out from the pan and then decorate it. It looks fresher and mango taste fresher this way).

8. Stir apricot glaze and water over low heat until glaze dissolves. Glaze top of cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6hrs before removing from pan and serving. 

For Giada's recipe, just click here. I would like to try the Basil Lemon sauce someday. It looks really interesting..

~Let's conspire to ignite

All the souls that would die just to feel alive~