well, it appears i’ve returned to the food blogging world once more. on the menu today we have cheesecake- savory cheesecake- savory cheddar bacon cheesecake with a wholewheat parmesan crust. yes, that will do nicely.
and that's why you press the crumbs up the sides of the pan
so, i came up with the idea for a bacon cheesecake while making one of my favorite things: bacon-wrapped spinach/cream cheese stuffed chicken. but it turns out someone already beat me to the punch. however, i’m using my cheesecake recipe, which is a modified dorie greenspan recipe because i like light, fluffy cheesecakes, not dense ones.
cheddar bacon cheesecake with wholewheat parmesan crust
heat oven to 350F (175C)
crust:
11″ springform pan
~8 tablespoons butter, melted
~1c shredded parmesan cheese, use the good stuff.
~2-3c wholewheat bread crumbs. sorry i don’t know exactly how much i used.
various dried herbs- basil, thyme, oregano cracked black pepper, and kosher salt, to taste.
wrap springform pan in several layers of foil. use the heaviest gauge foil you can get your hands on. you need to make a water-proof seal around the pan.
mixed breadcrumbs, cheese, spices and butter together in springform pan and press firmly to create a solid crust. don’t forget to push crumbs up the side of the pan as well. bake for about 10 minutes
filling
4 blocks of cream cheese (24oz), room temp
4 eggs
~650g sour cream
white ends of ~6 green onions
2c cooked, crumbled bacon
~2c shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp fresh sage
freshly cracked black pepper
various dried herbs, to taste.
lower oven temp to 325F, bring a large pot of water to a boil. find a baking dish the springform pan will fit inside.
mix the cream cheese until smooth. mix in the eggs, one at a time. mixing for 1 minute after each egg. mix in sour cream, then stir in onions, bacon, cheddar, herbs and spices.
pour the batter into the pan, over the (cooled) crust. place the pan in the larger baking dish and place in the oven. pour the boiling water into the dish (you want water at least half-way up the sides of the springform pan) and close the door.
bake for 1.5 hours, turn off the heat, then barely prop the door ajar with a wooden spoon and leave in the oven for another hour.
remove from oven and let cool completely. store in the refrigerator
garnish with more cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions.
not gonna lie, i broke the major cheesecake law and cut it while it was still warm. in my defense i had too; i was running out of light!
