Well-Seasoned Cookbook

flavorful recipes perfected over time

Grandma Weber's Cheesecake

The Crust:

1 1/3  cups flour (1 2/3 cup or so when I use a larger pan). I typically use wheat flour,  but corn flour also works well for a gluten free crust.

1/4 cup butter (or 1/3),  I melt it if it is hard, so it is easier to mix with the flour.  Often I add a bit more butter or oil to get the consistency I want so the mixture will stick together a bit crumbly.

1-2 Tbsp. sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon maple flavoring (my secret ingredient for a good-tasting crust)

I mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon, adding a little more butter or oil if it does not start to stick together well enough. Then I spread it over the bottom of a greased, round pan and pat it evenly to cover the bottom and up the sides.

The Filling:

6 medium eggs (4 – 8 eggs, depending on the size of the eggs and the size of the pan)

3/4 to 1 cup cream cheese (in Cameroon it's called "Kiri")

3/4 to 1 cup plain yogurt

1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (suit your taste, and depends on the size of your pan)

1 tsp almond flavoring  (can substitute vanilla if you don’t have almond)

1-2 T. lemon juice

I beat the eggs in the blender first, then add the other ingredients and blend it all.

Then pour this filling from the blender into the crust. Bake in the oven at about 350 degrees. Depending on the size, it often takes 50-65 minutes to set well. The surface should turn a little golden brown and not be too sticky or liquidy. Let it cool.

The Topping:

Choose your favorite available fruit:  Cherries, strawberries, or what you have fresh, frozen or canned.  In the US you have more choices, even cherry pie filling if you want that.

Here in Cameroon I usually start with fresh or canned fruit, like strawberries (which are available only certain times of the year). I cook them a few minutes, add vanilla flavoring and 1-2 Tablespoons of honey according to quantity and desired taste, and maybe a bit of lemon juice if I want a little more tartness as well. Or some folere (aka: hibiscus/roselle) juice which brightens the red color. A little beet jucie can also enhance color. (I add red juice for color when I have it available. I suppose you could just add food coloring, but I like the natural option).

For thickening the topping, I often take a little of the fruit’s juice out of the pot while it's cooking and let it cool a bit, then add about 2 Tbsp. cornstarch to the cooled juice to make a paste, then add it to the cooking fruit and stir it as it cooks until it thickens.

Spread the topping on the cheesecake while it's still warm; and will thicken more as it cools.

You can eat the cheesecake warm or cold, but I prefer to put it in the fridge and chill it completely and serve it cold.

We especially love it served with a homemade yogurt mixed with a little honey!