Happy Heart Month!  Everyone knows that February is the month of romance. On St. Valentine’s Day, we traditionally give loved ones gifts or candy or chocolate. What better way to show someone you care than to make cheesecake – everyone’s favourite!  Cheesecake of any kind certainly is a favourite of mine.   I thought I would share one of them with you – Raspberry Hearts Cheesecake.

This cheesecake was created when I was a Pastry Chef-de-Partie at a high-end hotel in Calgary, Alberta as a special feature for their Valentine’s Day dessert feature in their famous restaurant.  I had fun with this one.  It ended up to be so popular that the cheesecake itself was then put on the new room service menu.

Raspberry Hearts Cheesecake

CHEF TALK:  Make this extraordinary individual cheesecake for someone special. My favourite way to serve this type of dessert for special occasions is to make individual cheesecakes, however, the recipe will also make one 9 inch springform pan.  It is shown in the photo with Coeur a la creme and mango coulis, and heart-shaped tuile cookie holding raspberry sorbet.  

I think that you will enjoy making the following cheesecake recipe as much as you will enjoy receiving it. It is a recipe that has been adapted from my favourite pastry chef, Anna Olson. The hint of coconut and lime to the graham crust ingredients makes this cheesecake quite special.

Raspberry Hearts Cheesecake Recipe:

Yield: 1 – 9” springform pan, or 12 individual portions
Crust:
Flour, all-purpose	1 1/3 cups
Graham crumbs	1 1/3 cups
Coconut, unsweetened	1 1/3 cups
Sugar	3 tbsp.
Lime zest	2 tsp.
Butter, unsalted, melted	1 cup
Cheesecake filling:
Cream cheese, room temp.	1 lb. or two 8 oz. packages
Sugar	2/3 cup
Flour, all-purpose	2  tbsp.
Salt	1/8 tsp.
Raspberry puree	½ cup
Sour cream, plain Greek Yogurt or Creme Fraiche	2 tbsp.
Lemon juice	1 tbsp.
Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste	1 tbsp.
Eggs	3
Raspberry Swirl:
Raspberry puree	½ cup
Sugar	3 tbsp.
Egg yolk	1

METHOD:

1. For the Crust:  Combine flour, graham crumbs, coconut, sugar and zest in a medium-sized bowl.  Stir in the melted butter.
2. Press into bottom and sides of small ring molds. (I used 3-inch rings)
3. Bake for 5 minutes at 350F until browned around edges.  Allow the crusts to cool.
4. For the Cheesecake Filling:  In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Add the sugar, flour and salt.   Scrape the sides of the bowl and blend a little longer to a smooth consistency.
5. Add the raspberry puree, sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla.  Blend well (it should be lump- free).  Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until very smooth.  Pour into cooled crusts.
6. For the Raspberry Swirl: combine swirl ingredients together in a small bowl.  Drizzle this mixture over cheesecake and swirl or create a design.  For the hearts, put a drop of puree onto the cheesecake mixture and draw a toothpick from top to bottom to form a heart.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.  Let the cheesecakes cool to room temperature.  Chill. Garnish as desired.

NOTES: 

•  The cheesecakes freeze well
• You can use any fruit puree for this recipe – peach puree is wonderful

Do  you recall the sweet little love poem inside so many Valentine’s greetings card?
“Roses are Red, Violets are Blue……………..”

When I was researching for this post, I found this endearing original version of that same rhyme:

The original Valentine’s Day Love Poem:

“The rose is red, the violet’s blue,

The honey’s sweet, and so are you.

Thou art my love and I am thine;

I drew thee to my Valentine:

The lot was cast and then I drew,

And Fortune said it shou’d be you.”

English nursery rhymes Gammer Gurton’s Garland (1784)

Happy Heart Month! Don’t forget to support the Heart and Stroke Foundation during Heart Month.

LEARNING TIPS:  

Please CLICK the link above to access my UrbnSpice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

• Creaming
• Oven Temperature Accuracy
• Straining
• Vanilla Extract
  __________

You Might Also Like:

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Mini Cheesecakes

Lavender Rose Mini Cheesecakes

Double Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake – A Unique Cheesecake

Chocolate Desserts Cookbook Series by The Urbnspice Chef

As always, if you give this recipe for Raspberry Hearts Cheesecake a try, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy! 

 

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urbnspice Chef

 

 

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