Cheese cake - but what sort of cheese, please???

[Pan]

I read recipies that talk of cream cheese, but surely this does not mean Phili, and that sort of thing? I have also been advised it's Fromage frais, but I have my doubts..

I asked as I have engaged myself in a 'cook-off' with a friend, and her weapon of choice is for us to make cheese cake and submit them for independent scrutineering....which is fine...'cept I have nooo idea re cheese cake!!

what cheese???

tia.

[IotasCat]

Philli is your friend

[Lizzylou]

I make an easy one with marscapone and condensed milk.
But yes, Philly is used too, try it, gwan

[IotasCat]

Just don't use the one with garlic and herbs

[Pan]

thanks very much! MN - the finest search engine in the universe.

Plain Phili it is then.

thank you.

[bellavita]

Depends on what recipe....I have one that I use regularly and it needs double cream, greek yoghurt and full-fat soft cheese.

[LynetteScavo]

I've used ricotta (Joe Dolce's Italian Cheesecake)

Otherwise Phili (or similar)

[Pan]

that sounds more like it than plain Phili, bella.

Can I crave your indulgence and ask for proportions please? This could be the winner.

[IotasCat]

I have an ancient very simple recipe that uses double cream and sieved cottage cheese

[Jaquelinehyde]

Plain phili + condenssed milk + the juice of two lemons and their grated zest makes the most wonderful cheesecake topping ever!!

Stick it on to a normal digestive biscuit and butter base and Bobs your Uncle - friendly competition won!

[MayorNaze]

whipped double cream and philli. combine the 2. gordon ramsey does a mandarin cheesecake this way IIRC

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Now you see I totally disagree with you all here. Philli is nothing like cream cheese used to be. The nearest substitute in my opinion would be marscapone, but even that is not right.

I don't make cheesecake proper any more because I can't fin cream cheese proper

[Pan]

Am overwhelmed with this advice!

but I need numbers, amounts etc. Priddy please??

[anonandlikeit]

Quark

[bellavita]

Pan - tis called American Cheesecake and ingredients are...

Base

6oz digestives crushed
3oz melted butter
1 1/2 demerara sugar

Cheesecake

8oz (225g) full-fat soft cheese
1oz caster sugar
5floz (150ml) double cream
5floz (150ml) greek yoghurt
juice of 1 1/2 lemons

Topping

Soft fruits - berries of your choice - scattered..

Mix together the ingredients for the base and press into the tin 8" round loose-bottomed one.

Measure the cheese and sugar into a large bowl and mix well to blend. Add the cream and the yoghurt and mix again. Gradually add the lemon juice whisking all the time. Turn the mixture into the tin and leave in the fridge to set overnight.

Arrange your fruit on top before servingl

[bellavita]

You can get 6 largish slices out of 8 or 8 normal ones.

[MayorNaze]

so is philli not cream cheese?

does it not say cream sheese on the label somehwere???

[bellavita]

typing faster than my fingers.. 6 large 8 normal

[porcupine11]

I had this problem and the solution lies in Waitrose - the only shop in the entire country that stocks proper CREAM CHEESE. It's an organic brand, usually tucked high up on the top shelf of the cheese aisle with a blue cardboard surround. Pricey though, my cheesecake this weekend needed 6 tubs at £1.89 a go.

This is the only way to make a real cheese cake or cream cheese frosting. Sorry, but using Philadelphia sounds gross and much too savoury.

Go forth and buy so that they keep stocking it, and I can keep using it!

[bellavita]

Mayor - philli is cream cheese but I would normally use supermarkets own brand.

[porcupine11]

Would you like a killer recipe? I've got one for straight baked cheese cake and a more fiddly one that uses a bain marie...

[porcupine11]

Philli is not cream cheese of the kind in recipe books, it's made for spreading as a savory snack so the taste and texture are all wrong

[Pan]

yes mayornaze - love the name - it does but it just seemed wrong. The lemon will no doubt give it the kick I am used to from c/cake!

I do appreciate posters notes and advice.

[Pan]

porcupine - please kill me then??

[MayorNaze]

o gosh

and there was me thinking i had epicurial tendencies! i thought supermarket own brand was just unbrnded philli? dear dear i have a lot to learn. this is what happens when you odn't have a local waitrose and ocado don't deliver to your area...

[pointydog]

phili is cream cheese. Works absolutely fine in a cheesecake