Best Marja Leenas Finnish Cheesecake Recipes

BRULEED VANILLA-BEAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse crackers with granulated sugar and salt until finely ground. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups.) Add butter; pulse until combined. Transfer to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; firmly press into bottom and up sides. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake until crust is dry and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Filling: Place cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla seeds, and salt in cleaned food processor; blend just until smooth. Fill crust with cheesecake mixture. Bake until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• To serve, place 2 tablespoons superfine sugar in a sieve and evenly sift over top of cheesecake (avoiding crust). Move a small kitchen blowtorch back and forth across sugar until caramelized (aiming torch toward center to avoid burning crust). Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, making a second caramelized layer. Top with spun sugar and serve, slicing through spun sugar and cake with a sharp knife, and wiping blade between slices.

MARJA-LEENA'S FINNISH CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie plate.
• Combine 1/2 cup butter and 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1 egg until well blended. Beat in flour and baking powder. Chill crust mixture for 30 minutes.
• Spread crust mixture into the greased pie plate.
• Combine cottage cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup melted butter, almonds, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour over crust in the pie plate.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, about 40 minutes.

DONNA'S FAMOUS CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and the butter or margarine with your hands. Flatten out crust on the bottom of the springform pan.
• In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sweetened condensed milk and mix until combined well. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla, and continue to beat. Mix until very smooth, and pour mixture into the springform pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs over the top of the batter.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand and cool. Refrigerate to chill.

CARLA'S LEEK & CHEESE MUFFINS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a muffin tin with 9 cases. Mix all the dry ingredients until combined, then gently stir in the milk, egg and oil.
• Gently fold in the leek and Cheddar. Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cases and place in the oven. Bake for about 25 mins, then check - they may need a little longer. These taste great served with either spinach soup or with a dab of butter.