Cake Archives - Chef Lindsey Farr

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

August 20, 2020

This Chocolate Chip Cheesecake has an easy oreo crust! It is silky and dense, yet surprisingly light! You can’t go wrong with the traditional texture and tang of a NY Style Cheesecake!

This Chocolate Chip Cheesecake has an easy oreo crust! It is silky and dense, yet surprisingly light! It has the traditional texture and tang of a NY Style Cheesecake!

Think of the best cheesecake you’ve had in your life. This is better.

Mass hysteria and fights have broken out over cheesecake scraps in the restaurant. True story.

This is one such coveted recipe! 💕

I take my cheesecake seriously. Ok, ok, fine, I take ALL pastry seriously! Cheesecake is no exception. Especially this cheesecake.

Walk with me down memory lane por favor: One year shortly after my family moved to St. Louis I couldn’t make up my mind about what kind of birthday cake I wanted. I wanted a tiered chocolate extravaganza like my mom always made for me but I ALSO wanted a Dierberg’s Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.

Since my Mom is the best and she takes birthdays more seriously than I take pastry, she got me both!

I don’t even know if Dierberg’s (a local grocery store chain) still makes these cheesecakes but my version certainly lives up to my memories of it. That is no small feat!

Anyways! The key to the perfect texture in this cheesecake is that all the ingredients need to be at room temperature, and that, yes, all that beating is necessary!

Oh, and sadly, so is baking it in a water bath.

If you are in the business of hoping for the best, you could press extra crust up the sides of the pan (rather than just the bottom) and then bake it without the water bath. It is definitely going to crack, but as long as it doesn’t boil, you’re golden. 😃

My chocolate chip cheesecake can stand on it’s own but may I suggest a good spoonful of chocolate fudge sauce and fresh berries?

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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

250 g Oreo Crumbs or any other chocolate cookie
50 g Butter melted

Cheesecake Filling:

800 g Cream cheese I use Philadelphia because it has given me the best results.
4 g Vanilla
½ Vanilla bean pod split and scraped (seeds only), optional
240 g Sugar
134 g Whole eggs
20 g Yolk
143 g Sour cream
143 g Heavy cream
255 g Mini chocolate chips ¾ cup
2 t AP Flour

Instructions

Prepare the Crust:

Preheat oven to 325°F (I did convection because I did not want that direct heat on the top of my cheesecake).
Line the bottom of a springform pan with aluminum foil for easy release and extra insurance against water entry! Combine all ingredients for the crust and press into the bottom of the foil lined springform pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. You want the crust to look matte and smell fragrent. Cool at least 10 minutes or until the sides are no longer hot. Warm is fine.
Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil, rolling the top edges outwards so as not to direct water into the lining.

Prepare the filling:

Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until silky, creamy and smooth.
Add the sugar and beat until no granules are visible. The filling will look shiny and silky.
Add the vanilla extract and seeds and beat until incorporated.
Add the eggs one at a time a beat 1 minute after each addition. Yes, an actual minute.
Add the sour cream and cream and beat to combine.
Add the flour to the bowl of chocolate chips, toss to coat. Add to batter and fold in.
Pour into prepared crust and bake in a water bath halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake approximately 1 hour and 30- 40 minutes or until set but still wobbly.
Remove the foil wrapping from the outside (not the bottom). Cool completely at room temperature.
Chill overnight in the refrigerator before cutting for the best results.
For perfect cuts, use a knife dipped in hot water and wipe between each cut!

Notes

Makes 1, 9-10” Round Cheesecake
The flour to keep the chocolate chips from sinking makes the filling not gluten free. You could use cornstarch instead.

Did you make this recipe? I want to hear all about it! 🥳 Tag me on Instagram @cheflindseyfarr and use the hashtag #cheflindseyfarr

This Chocolate Chip Cheesecake has an easy oreo crust! It is silky and dense, yet surprisingly light! You can't go wrong with the traditional texture and tang of a NY Style Cheesecake!

Lemon Berry Pavlova Cake

July 19, 2020

This easy recipe for a Lemon Berry Pavlova Cake is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It is the perfect balance of tart and sweet! A stunning and delicious dessert!

After people find out I am a pastry chef IRL, their next question usually is, “What is your favorite dessert?” as if I could choose a favorite amongst my children?! 🤫 Don’t tell the others, but pavlovas with lemon curd and macerated berries are my favorite! Bonus points for making a giant Lemon Berry Pavlova Cake!

At the restaurants I spend a not inconsiderable amount of time coming up with fresh, new pavlova shapes for plated desserts, because I love them so much.

They are my favorite because, when done right, pavlova desserts are the perfect balance. The pavlova is crunchy on the outside and soft and pillowy inside; the sweetness of the pavlova balances the tart lemon curd and lemon juice in the berries; the bright white pavlova shows of the beautiful berries and yellow lemon curd to perfection!

Pavlovas are simple desserts and, as with anything in pastry that seems simple, there are some tricks to ensure perfection. I have spent more hours than I can even count problem solving and teaching cooks how to make pavlovas, so I am here for you!

Tools for Pavlova Success:

Egg Whites: Eggs separate easier when they are cold and the one thing that matters most here is that there aren’t any yolks in your whites. That little bit of fat can keep them from whipping up to their full potential. You don’t have to get all crazy and wipe down the bowl with vinegar or anything…it’s not that serious…but take the time to separate your whites carefully. I like to separate over three different bowls. The yolks go in one, the newly separated white in one and then I pour the new whites into a third bowl after several eggs. Trust me when I tell you that having a broken yolk drop into your quart of perfect whites is pure sadness.
Sugar: There is much debate about when to add the sugar to a meringue. I am in the earlier rather than later camp. It’s not the most popular camp but I live here now. I feel that adding the sugar after the whites have already whipped leads to the sugar crystals not dissolving into the egg whites and then the sugar has a tendency to overcook and pour out like lava.
Cream of Tartar: I like to stabilize my egg whites for meringue in general and pavlovas are no different especially if you are going to pipe them or do something fancy. The ratio of sugar to egg whites also adds stability.
Distilled White Vinegar: This is a sneaky addition but very important. The vinegar also adds a bit of stability but mainly it helps keep the meringue white while baking! Super-secret professional tip right there.
Cornstarch: Another pro-tip. Cornstarch helps the meringue dry out. You can think of it as extra insurance to get that crispy outside without having to overbake.
Baking: The perfectly baked pavlova needs the right balance of baking time with heat and the right amount of time just sitting in the oven that is still warm. Too much baking time and you will have all crisp and no chew, but too little and you will have all squishy pillow and no crunch. Both are a tragedy. There is some wiggle room so don’t stress too much! Each oven is different, so careful and delicate testing are necessary.
Whipping: The pavlovas need to be whipped to stiff peaks. This will take a little time especially if you start with cold egg whites. Don’t stress, don’t rush them, just wait patiently while they do their thing. If they still haven’t reached a nice volume or even soft peaks after 15 minutes, you might want to start separating more eggs. It looks like you have a sneeky bit of fat in your meringue that is keeping it from whipping. It really is important they hold a nice stiff peak or they won’t puff nicely in the oven and they might even spread out! If you overwhip the meringue then they also wont get as nice of a puff and they won’t have a nice smooth exterior. You’ll get this weird bumpy looking crust on the outside.
Be Nice to your Meringue: Meringues are a delicate affair. Think of all those little air bubbles trapped inside the meringues structure. Don’t go banging them around or slamming oven doors. Give them the love they need to grow in the oven!
Umm you said pavlovas were easy but that was a lot?! Pavlovas are easy but if you want perfection (and you know I do), then these tips will give you a leg up. The good news is that no matter how you mess up the pavlovas, short of them not whipping up at all, they are still going to taste good. No one else is going to know…well, unless they read this post and then you are SOL.

If you watched the video then you already know all these tips and you also know that I didn’t really measure my ingredients for the macerated berries and whipped cream. I am giving you the license to improvise! A rarity in pastry but it happens.

Berries very in their sweetness and some might need more or less sugar. I like to add a bit, taste and adjust as needed. I did the same with the whipped cream. Also some days I just want my desserts a bit more sweet. You do you and it will be glorious!

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