I am convinced that everything with condensed milk is just better. Therefore, I want to introduce a mini-series of posts covering my cooking with condensed milk. The first recipe in this series is by far the "naughtiest" and unhealthy. I am all for eating healthy, and I stand firmly behind my conviction that eating from your garden is the only way to go forward. But eating that unhealthy snack now and again is a temptation I want to fall into. This recipe for a baked cheesecake is so simple and easy to make, you will contemplate if you really want to acquire this new recipe. In fact, I did not want the recipe because it is so simple to make; you will overeat yourself on this. And that is the danger in reading onwards. Reader be warned, you will never want to make it otherwise!

I am working on variations of this recipe to make it "healthier", but for now, please enjoy this very naughty and delicious treat.

Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 packet of cookies (I used tennis biscuits),
• 1 can of condensed milk,
• 250 g of cottage cheese,
• 250 g of Crème fraîche,
• 250 g of cream cheese,
• a couple of tbs of butter, and
• some lemon juice and lemon rind

Method

The method is really simple. The first part is basically combining all of the liquid ingredients with a hand mixer.

The second part, if you feel inclined to do it, is to brown some butter, crumble the cookies and lay it on the bottom of an oven-proof dish.

The third part, is to bake the cheesecake @ 180C for exactly 9 minutes.

The last part, the hardest one of them all, is to let it cool down and chill it overnight in the fridge. The longer it sits in the fridge the better.

Please follow me along these simple steps as I show you how I make this very simple cheesecake.

Mix All the Wet

Firstly, add your condensed milk and lemon juice. I add a couple of tsp of lemon juice. Save the lemon rind for the base of the cheesecake.

One at a time, add the different cheeses and mix it in with the hand mixer.

Slow at first, but you can mix it in relatively easily. I do not think there will be a problem with it separating.

Mix until you get a very smooth mixture. When you achieve the most smoothness you will get, set aside whilst you prepare the cookie base.

The Cookie Base

I prefer the caramel taste of, well, caramel and the nutty flavor of browned butter. You can add any combination of flavors here! The base will be open for your creative mind to take over.

I begin by browning some butter. Use your nose to tell you when the butter is brown enough and has that distinct nutty flavor.

Whilst the butter is browning, add the lemon rind to the cookie mixture. This gives the base and overall cheesecake an intense lemon flavor. So if you do not like lemons, omit this step.

Add the browned butter to the cookies and compact it so that it is ready for the wet mixture.

Add the Wet

Add the smooth cheese and condensed milk mixture to your base.

Smooth the top. Now you are ready to bake the cheesecake.

Bake @ 180C for 9 Minutes

Bake the cheesecake for exactly 9 minutes at 180C or 356F. There will be no discernable changes, but you will know it has set. See the above photograph of the unbaked one vs. the photograph below of the baked version.

The Waiting Game

Now the waiting game begins. Chill the cheesecake until it is room temperature and wrap it for the fridge.

The trick is to put aside all temptation to eat it the day you baked it. Leave it in the fridge for the next day. Trust me, it just gets better the longer you leave it in the fridge. Do not wait a week, but optimally leave it in there for two or three days. Trust me, it really just gets better!

Serve

After it has sat in the fridge for what feels like an eternity, serve it. You can make some fancy syrups or toppings, but the plain version is still the best. (I added some blueberries for dramatic effects.)

Postscriptum, Or Variety is the Spice of Life

I have said many times, following my supervisor on my Ph.D., variety is the spice of life. You should obviously take this recipe as a springboard for your own creation. Add different flavors, make it even simpler, and experiment! Variety is after all the child of experimentation.

The texture of the base is somewhat loose, I love the crumbly texture. I really hope you try this recipe. Please let me know if you made this, and PLEASE SHARE any of your condensed milk dishes/recipes with me if you do not mind!

It is the chef's treat to lick the mixers clean. You can taste your hard work! For now, I am left yearning for this as I already ate it. It is not safe, you will want to eat the whole thing in one sitting!

This recipe was given to me by my girlfriend's mother. I do not claim any originality, except that I added browned butter and lemon rind to the base! All of the photographs are my own, taken with my iPhone. Stay well, eat healthy, snack now and then, and happy cooking!