Beckys Cardamom Fig Cheesecake

Name: Beckys Cardamom Fig Cheesecake
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 6 h 7 min
Yield: 12 - 16
Ingredients: Cream Cheese: 32 oz; Sugar: 1.5 cups; Sour Cream: 1 cup; Heavy Whipping Cream: 3/4 cup; Large eggs: 4; Vanilla Paste: 1 teaspoon; Cardamom: 1 teaspoon; Graham Cracker Crumbs: 2 cups; Butter: 3 tablespoons; Sugar: 2 tablespoons; Fig Preserves: 1 cup

Decadent Fig Cardamom Cheesecake. Perfect for the Fall Season.

Rich, creamy and dense cheesecake with the warm herb undertones and figs. It’s the perfect cheesecake for fall.

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling
32 oz Cream Cheese
Room temperature
1.5 cups Sugar
1 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
4 Large eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste
1 teaspoon Cardamom
Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 tablespoons Butter
Melted
2 tablespoons Sugar
Fig Spread
1 cup Fig Preserves

Directions

Cheesecake. Everyone loves it, but they’re all intimidated to make it. Let me tell you a secret; Cheesecake is easy to make. It only requires a Springform pan and a blender. If you have those two kitchen tools you’ve got all the secret tools to make Beckys Cardamom Fig Cheesecake.

Cream cheese is the primary ingredient in the majority of cheesecakes made in the USA. Do not spend money buying the most expensive cream cheese you can. It will not make the cheesecake taste any different than if you use the least expensive cheese. For the most part you should be able to make a cheesecake for less than $10-$15. Four bars of cheese, $5. Graham Crackers $2 and then the other odds and ins $3. Buy the least expensive primary ingredients you can and then add ingredients that elevate that cake to the next level. In this instance with Cardamom and Fig Preserves.

If you’re not familiar with the figs, they are an often overlooked, sweet tree fruit. Fig trees grow best in dry, warm/hot climates like Arizona or Florida. When they’re ripe they get wrinkled and soft, but the taste is honey-like. It’s soft and syrupy and simply delicious. Buy Fig preserves or make Fig Honey jam to spread over the top of the cake after it has cooled. Buying them is cost effective and time saving.

Cardamom is another spice that is overlooked by a lot of home cooks. The spice is in the ginger family and is warm and sweet making it perfect for fall cooking. Chai tea has cardamom in it so you may unknowingly already be familiar with the it. According to the internet, the cardamom pods were used by the Egyptians to cover up bad breath. If you know anyone with questionable breath make them this cake. Problem solved, right?

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Steps

1 Done	Preheat oven to 325F. Put springform pan together by placing the bottom ‘upside down’ so that it’s pushing up into the walls, not dipping below. By doing this it will be much easier to transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Use a non-stick baking spray on the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small dish. Set aside. Put 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs into a small bowl. Add sugar and melted butter. Using a fork blend crumbs, sugar and butter. *Note: the mix will appear dry. This is normal.
2 Done	Pour the graham cracker crumb mixture into the prepared pan. Using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup (or fingers) firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides about an inch. Put into the preheated oven for 8 minutes. When done set to the side to let it cool
3 Done	Get ready to make cheesecake filling It’s very important that the oven rack is in the middle of the oven when you cook it. Cooking any cheesecake to close to the heat source will cause the cake top to brown which isn’t bad, but isn’t necessarily what you want when you’re presenting the cake to friends, family, etc. Preheat the oven to 300F. Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil, reduce heat to low. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan in heavy duty foil. Make sure there are no tears in it as you do not want water to leak into the foil and onto the cheesecake crust. Pull out a pan that is large enough to let the foil covered springform pan rest on the bottom and can hold 1 to 2 inches of hot water. I use my grandmas old aluminum turkey pan.
4 Done	Prepare the cream cheese filling Add he room temperature cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium high until I the cream cheese is soft and there are no lumps. Reduce speed to medium, add sugar and then eggs, one at a time.
5 Done	When sugar and eggs are fully incorporated add sour cream and then heavy whipping cream
6 Done	Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared springform pan. Carefully tap the filled springform pan on the counter top a few times. Doing this will help bring any air bubbles to the top so they can pop (with or without help). When there are no apparent air bubbles on the top double check the foil that is covering the outside of the pan has no tears and then place the filled pan into the pan you’re going to be cooking the cake. Carefully add 1-2 inches of hot water into the pan. Be careful not to spill into the cheesecake filling. Put the pan with the water and springform carefully into the oven. Cook at 300 for 60-70 minutes
7 Done	Start checking the cake after it’s been steam cooking for approximately 55 minutes. To do this you’ll want to gently tap the pan. The top cake will have lightly tanned and the center will be slightly ‘jiggly’. It won’t roll like a wave, but it will have a thick jiggle. When your cake reaches that point, turn the oven off. Crack the oven door slightly and let the cake remain in the oven for an hour. Remove from the oven.
8 Done	Gently remove from the water and peel the aluminum off the springform pan. When the pan has cooled enough that you can touch it without oven mitts, put the springform pan with the cheesecake still in it, into the fridge. Cool for 4-6 hours.
9 Done	About an hour prior to serving put a large canned good on the counter. Set the springform pan on it then carefully unlatch. It should pull away cleanly from the cheesecake. Let it drop (do not remove the springform pan by lifting it over the cake) so that the cake itself is sitting on the can.
10 Done	To remove cake off the springform bottom do the following: Cut a piece of wax paper that is larger than the top of the cake. Find a plate or something with a flat surface (I use a large cardboard cake round). Place the wax paper on top of the cold cheesecake and then cover that with whatever you’re using that it flat. Turn it upside down. The bottom of the springform should be able to be lifted straight off. Place your serving plate on the bottom of the cheesecake, now flip it upside down. If all went well your cheesecake should be on your serving pan and the wax paper should come off without any issues.
11 Done	Heat your fig preserves for about 30 seconds in a microwave. This will make it easier to smooth on the top of the cake. Use a spoon to smooth it out. Cool in the fridge until ready to serve.