Carrot Cheesecake

This nifty carrot cheesecake creation may sound odd but trust me for saying that this is good. The base for this recipe is actually from an Indian dessert called Gajar Ka Halwa. We searched throughout the internet for the perfect combinations. Saveur added rose water to their recipe but they use whole milk and heavy cream which is perfect for this recipe. The evaporated and condensed milk was also a good combination and might try it soon to see what the difference would be. Our concern is the balance of flavors. There was even the discussion of the spices used since carrot cake itself uses cinnamon versus carrot pudding using cardamom. We use creme Chantilly frosting from World Famous Cakes Cookbook. One of our favorite and best cookbooks out there dedicated to cakes. They feature the best recipes all over the world and gathered it into one book. It’s an awesome addition to someone’s book collection. The cheesecake recipe is New York style inspired by Making Artisan Cheesecake. The author’s version is creamy because she uses the water bath method. With a little tweaking, it came out nicely. We hope you like it.

Carrot Cheesecake

Monica B.

A mix of Asian and western influences this dessert that will appeal to a much wider audience. If you tried the Indian carrot pudding (Gajar Ka Halwa)

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Course Dessert

Cuisine International

Ingredients

  

Carrot Pudding

• 1 ⁄2 c. ghee or butter
• 4 medium carrots coarsely grated
• 2 c. whole milk
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 ⁄4 c. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. ground cardamom

Cheesecake

• 1 lb. cream cheese softened at room temp
• 2 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Crust

• 1 c. Graham crackers
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter melted

jellied creme chantilly frosting

• 1 tsp. powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. confectionary sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

optional

• crushed pistachios almonds or cashews, for toppings

Instructions

 

• For the crust: Preheat oven to 350F. Mix graham crackers and melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix ingredients together until graham fully absorbs the butter. Using a 10-inch springform pan, add the ingredients and press firmly on the pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until it is slightly firm. Let it cool completely.
• Carrot pudding: Turn stovetop to medium-high heat. In a medium saucepan, melt the ghee. Add carrots and milk. As soon as it boils, reduce to medium-low heat for 30 minutes. When the sauce is thickened, add cream, sugar, and cardamom. Simmer for 25-30 minutes. Set aside.
• Cheese filling: In a large mixing bowl, soften cream cheese using an electric mixer. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula if needed. Do this until cream cheese has a softer texture or lumps are not visible. Add sugar and continue mixing. Next is add sour cream until it is combined thoroughly. Slowly add each egg. Lastly, mix in the vanilla extra.
• Fold the carrot mixture in. Combine both mixtures well using the rubber spatula. Pour it over the crust and tap it gently to help flatten the surface.
• Lower the temperature to 325F. Wrap with springform pan with aluminum foil. Next, place the pan in a roasting pan half filled with water. The purpose of this method is to maintain a creamy and smooth texture.
• Bake for an hour or until the sides are firm and the center is gelatin-like. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Take the pan out from the roasting pan and unwrap it from the foil. Run a knife around the pan. Let it sit to cool down for at least 8 hours.
• Run a knife again around the pan, unlatch it and lift the ring up.
• Place gelatin in a small bowl of ice water to soften it. discard the water. Boil 2 tbsp water in a pan. Pour hot water in the bowl of softened gelatin. Let it cool for 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix cream, sugar, and vanilla. While whisking, slowly add gelatin. Whisk slowly until ribbon forms. The way to check this is lifting the whisk, the batter falls slowly forming a ribbon that holds its shape. Place batter in a pastry bag with a No.5 plain tip or a french pastry tip #869 for decorative purposes.
• Place cheesecake in the fridge before serving.
• Top with crush nuts for garnish if desired.

Have a good day everyone!