Growing up I only ate white chocolate when
it was brought as a gift by relatives visiting from London. I remember with special fondness Toblerone
white chocolate bars with honey and almond nougat which were savored one or
two ‘triangles’ at a time. As far as I
can tell, white chocolate appears to be more popular in Europe than North
America.
Despite its light color, white chocolate contains cocoa butter, the pale yellow vegetable fat extracted
from cocoa beans. It does not include the
low-fat cocoa solids – that contain minerals, flavonols, caffeine, and
theobromine – which give regular chocolate its characteristic brown hue.
The United States, Canada, and the
European Union require true white chocolate to contain at least 20% cocoa
butter or fat. However, much of what is
sold as white chocolate contains no cocoa butter at all. Some manufacturers pass off a confection made
of sugar, milk powder, and hydrogenated vegetable oil (from non-cocoa sources)
as white chocolate. This is what most white chocolate chips are made from.
Besides a 2008 guest post of my friend
Sarah, this is the first Treat a Week recipe I have made with white chocolate. This early summer cheesecake benefited from
the strawberry season which was at its peak in early June.
Ingredients
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 to 6 tablespoons strawberry or vanilla
yogurt (reduced fat acceptable)
10 tablespoons strawberry preserve (add
water if necessary), slightly microwaved
9 ounces white chocolate (equivalent to 1
1/2 cups white chocolate chips)
1/4 cup milk (whole or reduced fat)
24 ounces cream cheese, softened (full or
reduced fat, or a combination)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 pints strawberries, hulled and halved
Directions
1. Preheat
oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, mix
together graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, 3 tablespoons sugar, and yogurt. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch
springform pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake
for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F.
3. On
stovetop or in microwave melt white chocolate with milk, checking frequently
and stirring until smooth.
4. In
a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate/milk
mixture.
5. Pour
half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the batter.
Pour remaining batter into pan, and
again spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with
the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
5. Bake
for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is almost set. Keep cheesecake in the oven with the heat
turned off for an 30-60 additional minutes.
Cool at room temperature for 2 hours, cover with foil, and refrigerate
for 8 hours before removing from pan.
6. To
remove cheesecake, slide butter knife around the edge of the pan. Gently release springform pan.
7. Top
with halved strawberries in concentric circles. Brush strawberries with remaining strawberry
preserve and/or serve strawberry preserve on the side.
