Making a cheesecake in France

[Mal]

Okay, slightly odd one. My cousin's wife (cousin in law?) lives in France and is trying to make a cheesecake. She's suffering a bit from an inability to get hold of cream cheese like Philly. Also, she's trying to make it sugar free (just to make it a bit harder!).

Does anyone have any recipes that fit the bill?!

[snapdragon]

cheesecake without sugar? - I don't know

but when in Germany we used to use Quark which is a cream cheese and makes beautiful baked cheesecake

[Green Aura]

I would say Quark too, if she can't but it she can easily make it herself.

As for no sugar, what about stevia. Probably have to buy it online. Make sure to get the stuff that's had the bitter taste removed though!

[Mal]

oh sorry, I meant with sugar substitute, not sugar free. don't know which one though.

[Mrs Moustoir]

Can't help with the sugar-free aspect but can recommend a Philly substitute. It is called "fromage a tartiner nature" and is available in full fat, low fat and fat free versions.

[Millymollymandy]

Just about to post the same as Mrs M although I've never noticed the various low fat or no fat ones (how can you have fat free cream cheese? ). Super U and Carrefour both do their own brand versions of this cream cheese and it's identical to Philly. St Moret is another one but much more expensive and has a stronger taste.

What is she going to make the base from as biscuits contain sugar? If she doesn't have any digestive biscuits use Speculoos biscuits (Dutch biccies that are cinammon flavoured), readily available here and very nice as cheesecake base.

Can't comment on the sugar subsitite because my cheesecake contains Nestles milk. Yum. It's a no bake one that's easy to make but is very high calorie. It's legendary both in my hamlet and on a Brittany forum.

[contadina]

You could easily make your own yoghurt cream cheese or ricotta, which both work well in cheesecakes. I make yoghurt most weeks to make cream cheese with and by using semi-skimmed UHT it has a lot less fat than shop-bought soft cheeses.

[Mal]

thanks everyone

[Jinwin]

Legendary cheesecake, eh? Any chance of the recipe MMM? Or is a well-guarded family secret?

[Millymollymandy]

I found this recipe on the internet after our handwritten one from my teenage years disappeared! So I can't claim to have made it up.

150 ml single cream
Tin sweetened condensed milk
175g cream cheese
Grated rind of 3 lemons (I use just one)
Juice of 2-3 lemons (depending on size)

Base:
Depending on size of your flan dish, about 15 digestive biscuits to about 55g melted butter. (I use about 20 biccies and just keep adding melted butter until I get the right consistency)
Or use Speculoos biscuits.

Method
1. Crush biccies, add melted butter, mix it in, press into flan dish and put in fridge to cool and set whilst making the topping.
2. Mix cream cheese with the cream and the s.c. milk with an electric mixer.
3. Add the lemon rind.
4. Slowly add the lemon juice, beating all the time. It will start to thicken.
5. Add mixture to biscuit base and chill for several hours.


I usually make one and a half times the amount of topping if I'm feeding more people as it goes further.

[marshlander]

i make one very close to mmm's which we have always known as 'American cheesecake'

Same base,
Topping is a mix of a small pot of fruit yogurt, a yog pot full of double cream beaten till stiiff and a small pack of cream cheese combined and chilled.
We top with fruit to match the yogurt.

found this recipe which uses honey in the base; http://www.sugarfreerecipes.co.uk/no-su ... cakes.html

[Mrs Moustoir]

Oh no - don't get us ex pat French 'ishers on the subject of double cream!!
That ISN'T available here

MMM - low fat cream cheese = revolting with a list of additives as long as your arm.

[marshlander]

OMG no double cream in France! What do you have with your scones?

Seriously, creme fraiche isn't right for everything, hat do you do?

[Millymollymandy]

We just go without, like we go without sour cream. And many other things! That's why we bring back a carful of food stuff from the supermarket when we visit England, including cheese and sausages.

I don't bring back cream because of the sell by date problem (because when I've just come back from being away I don't have time for baking as I'm too busy weeding etc!!!), but I did request an English food shop here for some and they got it for me from Jersey and I made scones and it was wonderful....... oh joy!

[chadspad]

I can get double cream All the HyperU/SuperU do it - ive not checked other stores but will now. Its called creme pour professional - comes in a big carton with all the single cream and milk products.

My take on the cheesecake (although I do love the one M3 has posted!) is always a winner. I use chocolate coated digestives from Lidl or again the U chain of shops have a similar thing - bum cant remember the name of them! Anyway mash them up with butter for the base. Use mascapone, icing sugar, rind and juice of 2 lemons. Just keep adding the icing sugar and lemons to taste. Easy