this one’s for K

It’s a funny thing how people pass in and out of your life. 

There you are in the middle of things, working together, you connect and just when you are all getting comfortable, WHAM!  It’s time to move again. 

I have moved several times in the past 15 years and have met many amazing people.  K and I worked retail together ages ago, then she moved, then I moved, then we lost track of each other.  Occasionally I would get an update through mutual friends, but only occasionally.  This time technology has brought us together and it’s delightful to have her around again.  Turns out we both started really thinking about our food while we were apart.  She’s been working in restaurants and educating herself from the ground up on wines and the value of local food, while I have thrown myself into all things sweet and yeasty.  My only regret in our situation is that we don’t live closer to one another.  I’m sure the dinner parties would be above and beyond fabulous.  But she is there, and I am here, so we do what we can to work together. 

One evening as I was putting the kids to bed she sent a text.  She was in a grocery store and needed an ingredient list for the pumpkin cheesecake she had seen here.  A cheesecake crisis, that’s the kind of crisis I can handle.  Now she is starting a whole career.  She’s working towards a masters in acupuncture.  Seriously, who does that?  Why my K, of course.  In honor of her first day of class, I present…

maple syrup cheesecake topped with a maple syrup reduction

adapted from Not Quite Nigella  This cake is isn’t over the top sweet as I had expected.  It’s sweet, and rich and creamy, but the maple syrup gives it a little tang.    It’s a sinful combination especially when topped with a maple syrup reduction. 

the crust

I loved the crust from the pumpkin cheesecake in Nigella Lawson’s FEAST so I used it for the base. 

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (1 pkg + 4 crackers)

1 stick butter at room temperature

Pulse the crackers in a food processor until they are crumbs then add the butter and pulse until the mixture starts to come together like wet sand.

Press the mixture into the bottom of a spring-form pan and smooth to and even layer pushing a bit up the sides.  This can be done with a flat bottomed measuring cup.  Put the pan in the fridge while you make the filling.

filling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons corn flour

1/2 cup maple syrup

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Using a food processor, blitz the cream cheese, sugar, maple syrup, and corn flour until smooth.  Add eggs and lemon juice.  Blend well.  Remove pan from fridge and double line with aluminum foil.  Pour in filling.  Place wrapped spring-form pan in larger roasting pan and pour water into roasting pan to create a water bath.  Bake 1 hour or until edges are solid, but there’s still a little wiggle in the center.  Cool on wire rack and chill overnight.

maple syrup reduction

Maple syrup seemed to thin to be used as a topping, so I decided to thicken it up a bit.  It also concentrates the flavors to highlight it’s ”mapleness”. 

1/2 cup maple syrup

Cook syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and continue to simmer until reduced to about 1/4 – 1/3 of cup.  Allow to cool a bit and pour over the chilled cheesecake.  If it cools too long it may stiffen up so keep an eye on it.

Tags: cheesecake, dessert, maple syrup, maple syrup cheesecake