Tag Archives: Cream Cheese

Cheese Cake at Il Cuore

Altough cheese cakes originally came from reece, the Japanese have simply turned into an art of their own!

This very Sunday, as we had finished our cricket session very early, I still had time for a quick lunch/snack as I cycled across town on my way back for a quick visit to my office and laptop.

Il Cuore is my favourite Italian Caffeteria in Shizuoka City, a locality replete with Italian establishements. It is unpretentious, but authentic (although all the staff is Japanese) and very convivial.
I ordered a plate of Parma Ham and a smaller one of Italian cheese with home-made bread and a couple of glasses of red Italian wine.
I was about to call it quits when my eyes spotted the enormous cheese cake in the display fridge. It was 30 cm (1 foot!) wide and at least 5 cm ( at least 2 inches) thick! Officiallyit made for 12 portions, although I suspect it could make for far more!LOL
I just had to have it, regardless of my waistline!

Served with some icing sugar and a sprig of fresh mint, it had the perfect balance (nothing to do with the cloying sweetness of some cakes bought over the counter!).
Made by the young chef, Seiya Maejima, It was fullfilling but light and very easy to eat (wolf down!). I didn’t ask for his secrets, but I know it took 1 kg of cream cheese to make.

As for the biscuit base, I only know they are Italian.
A cake to emulate!

CAFFETERIA IL CUORE
420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-cho, 13-20, Ishiwata Bldg. 1F
Tel. & fax: 054-2723737
Business hours: 11:30~23:00 (closed on Tuesday)
Credit Cards OK

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Cream Cheese Brownies

The Japanese have become extremely efficient at reproducing and improving on European/American (I mean the continents!) recipes when it comes to cakes and desserts.
Here is an example I found in my notes:

Crema Cheese Brownies!

INGREDIENTS: 20×20 cm square mold or a 23cm diameter round mold.

Cream Cheese Topping:
-Beaten egg: 1
-Cream cheese: 225 g
-Sugar: 50g
-Vanilla essence: 1 teaspoon

-Brownies
-Chocolate (for cakes and baking): 115 g
-Unsalted butter: 115 g
-Brown sugar: 150 g
-Beaten eggs: 2
-Light cake flour: 75 g
-Baking powder: 1 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Butter/oil the inside of the mold and sprinkle with flour/line the mold with baking paper.
Sift and mix flour and baking powder together.
Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius (3725F)

-Soften cream cheese inside microwave oven for 10 seconds and beat it just long enough as to obtain a smooth cream.

-Mix in te beaten egg, sugar and vanilla essence.
Set apart.

-In a separate bowl, drop the chocolate and butter and soften for 10 seconds inside a microwave oven. Take care not heat it too long, otherwise the chocolate will solidify.
Mix well with a spatula.

-Add brown sugar and mix well with electric mixer. Ad the 2 beaten eggs little by little and mix well.

-With a spatula (no mixer, please!) fold in the flour and baking powder in three equal steps.

-Pour in the brownies mixture inside the mold (about 4 fifths of its depths) and smoothen surface with spatula.

-First place the cream cheese into 4 parts on top as in picture.

-Spread each cheese cream “ball” around with the spatula.

-Make “patterns” with a stick.

-Bake at 160 degrees Celsius (325F) for 25~30 minutes.
Let cool completely before taking out the cake.

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Quick Snack: Cream Cheese Tomato Rolls for the Beer!

tomatospringroll

There are times, be it in Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn, when you just don’t have the will to venture into another cooking expedition, but still want to offer and eat quick, simple and yummy food!

Here is suggestion that you can store inside the fridge just in case hungry friends barge in with some beer (or mineral water! LOL). It can be easily adapted for vegetarians!:

I don’t have to bother with quantities really.
Just know that you need an equal amount (in volume) of Philadelphia (for example) cream cheese and fresh cream lightly beaten to a semi-hard consistency.
In a bowl mix the cheese and cream well. Add a little salt, pepper, nutmeg and whatever spice you fancy. Add some finely chopped herbs!
As for the tomatoes, choose them as large as possible, but not too ripe to avoid them breaking away. Peel them first, by making a light cut near the stem and plunging them in hot water (or holding them over a flame). When the skin starts opening, take them out and plunge them in cold water. They should peel off very easily.
Cut them in half, empty them, “spread” (you might have to help with a few small cuts) them on a kitchen paper to sponge water off.

Note: do not salt the tomatoes, or they’ll give out gallons of water!

On a large enough piece of cellophane paper spread the tomato flesh, fill with an adequate amount of cream cheese mix, and make a roll closing the cellophane paper around. Twist the ends shut.
Leave in refrigearator until served.

Simple presentation suggestion (look at pic!):
A three-piece presentation is easiest with cut sweet pimento and boiled broccoly stems (a good way to use them!).
Cut the tomato rolls half-way at a slant for better effect.
Add lightly boiled turnips, pieces of raw ham, and plenty of greens.
Serve with a pot of vinaigrette or dip sauce.

Simple and appetizing!
Good for hungry kids, too!

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