September 11, 2006

See Jane Cook

Sweet Lady Jane’s Cheesecake

Sweet! You can now get your Sweet Lady Jane sugar fix at Gelson’s in Century City. Sour! You’re stuck at home. Score! Channel your inner Betty Crocker and whip up Jane’s special cheesecake recipe (which you can’t get anywhere else).

Fresh Raspberry Cheesecake with Hazelnut Crust

Crust:
6 oz. cold butter
¼ c. sugar
1 ¼ c. pastry flour
3/4 c. hazelnut meal

1. Mix ingredients with mixer until a dough ball forms, then chill for one hour.
2. Press into a buttered, nine-inch cheesecake pan with removable bottom. Crust should be ¼-inch thick.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Let cool.

Cheesecake:
2 lbs. softened cream cheese
1 ¼ c. sugar
4 eggs
½ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. cream
1 ½ c. fresh raspberries, with extra for garnish

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add sugar gradually and continue beating.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.
4. Beat in cream, alternating with flour, until incorporated.
5. Fold raspberries into the batter and pour into the prebaked crust.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center.

Garnish with fresh raspberries and powdered sugar.

And, please, try not to eat the whole thing.

Sweet Lady Jane, at Gelson’s Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, between Avenue of the Stars and Century Park West, Century City (310-277-4288); 8360 Melrose Avenue, between Kings Road and Orlando Avenue, West Hollywood (323-653-7145 or sweetladyjane.com).