White Chocolate Cheesecake Paired with Framboise
Once upon a time a girl who didn't really like to make desserts made an incredible dessert. And everyone lived happily ever after. That's how I feel about this beautiful dish I made.
I really don't like making desserts. Don't get me wrong, I like a good dessert now and then, but I just don't really crave them on a daily basis. I think it is because all of the beer and wine I drink that doesn't go with dessert...hehe
But trust me, this dessert is 10 times more delicious than it looks...and I think I did pretty dang good with the pictures! If you are like me and don't usually make beautiful-looking desserts, this is the recipe for you to try. It was fairly easy, and sticking all those raspberries on top was a piece of [cheese]cake.
The Pairing
Ahhhh....Framboise and White Chocolate Cheesecake. What a match made in heaven. I think I've been saying that about a lot of my pairings, but its the way I feel about them all! Framboise is French for "raspberry", but this is a Belgian beer. Framboise is a type of fruit lambic, and if you think this is a relatively new invention, think again--lambic is the oldest beer style in the world that is still in production today.
Lambics are funky--unlike other beers, wild yeast and a whole lot of bacteria are invited into the beer. Its not harmful, but it sure does create a completely different flavor profile compared to what you're used to. Expect a lot of acidity and slight "sourness" when you try a lambic for the first time. Dare I say these beers have more in common with wine than with beer? Yes, especially when you add fruit to them.
Lindeman's Framboise, the most widely available fruit lambic in our wonderful country, was a great accompaniment to this cheesecake. Even though there are beautiful raspberries on top of this dessert, it is in no way a "raspberry" dessert. If it was, I wouldn't be suggesting the Framboise with it, it would be too much raspberry and the flavors would cancel each other out. So don't go pairing this beer with your next raspberry pie or something (is that a thing?).
The truth of this dessert is that its very mild. The white chocolate is very subtle and absolutely perfect. The Framboise adds a sweet fruity touch to the entire meal--a paring I would call PERFECT! And my friends who don't really like beer OR cheesecake loved it too. This is definitely a crowd pleaser!
The Recipe
I loved this cheesecake. Its definitely in my "keepers" section of my recipes as it is simple to make and simple to decorate. In fact, the cheesecake in the photos even collapsed in the middle...something you don't want your cheesecake to do...but was easily covered up with the raspberries! If you're new to the cheesecake-baking-business, this is a great recipe to start out with!
White Chocolate Cheesecake Paired with Framboise
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 1 hour 25 mins
Total time: 1 hour 55 mins
Serves:6
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup and 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp and 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 Cup Flour
- 4 pkg (8 oz each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- 16 oz White Baking Chocolate, melted and slightly cooled (I used Girardelli's)
- 4 Eggs
- 1 pint Raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F
- Beat 1/2 C sugar, 1/2 tsp of vanilla, and butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer. Add flour little by little, mixing on low speed until well blended.
- Press mixture firmly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and prick with fork
- Bake for 25 minutes until the edge is lightly browned
- Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, 1/2 Cup sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla in a large bowl until well blended.
- Add the melted chocolate and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on low speed after each addition. Be careful not to overblend as this will cause air pockets in the batter.
- When the crust is done cooking in the oven, pour the cream cheese mixture over it.
- Bake for about 1 hour or until center is almost set. When finished, run a knife along the rim to loosen the cake. Let the cake cool before removing the rim of the pan.
- Top with raspberries and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.