In Search of Cheddar Cheesecake

Many years ago, my husband and I spent a weekend in a romantic bed and breakfast on the border between New Hampshire and Vermont.  Not only were the accommodations charming, but the Inn also featured a well-renowned restaurant run by a Cordon Bleu-trained chef.   Our lovely suite ended up serving as a “recovery room” for post-dinner discomfort.  Such was the food that we felt obligated to try almost everything on the menu.

One of the most unusual items we sampled was an appetizer called “Cheddar Cheesecake.”  I was curious by the description; it conjured images of everything from a mini wheel of cheese to a fried, crispy latke-like patty that oozed when you cut into it.  In fact, this turned out to be a rather traditional looking slice of cheesecake—like the dessert—except that it was savory.  By the looks of it, my tongue expected the familiar sweet and creamy deliciousness that I love to eat at the Carnegie Deli.  But when I bit into it, it tasted like a slice of the finest extra-sharp Vermont cheddar cheese.

It has been decades since that dinner, but the flavor and texture of that single appetizer remains among my memories of great bites.  I have searched high and low for the recipe—trying to procure it from the Inn itself (which is no longer in business) and from other sources that might have served as that chef’s inspiration.  Even with the vast sources of internet recipes, I still have not found a single recipe that would seem to reproduce that tasty dish.

Each year at Thanksgiving I try one “high risk” recipe—something I have not made before but wish to add to my repertoire.  This year I have decided to take on the elusive Cheddar Cheesecake.  Gone from the menu is my usual wintery soup, replaced instead by my own attempt to whip up an authentic Cheddar Cheesecake. 

I make a pretty good classic cheesecake.  I once had a co-worker who worked part-time as a caterer.  She shared with me all the secrets of a top-notch cheesecake—techniques that are conveniently omitted from most  cookbook recipes.  Most people do not know that you should add eggs last and beat them in one at a time.  It also helps to release a cheesecake from its springform pan if you line the removable bottom and the straight sides with wax paper.  Most importantly, a cheesecake is best baked at the bottom rack of the oven at a low temperature (300-325 degrees).  When it sets up, it is important to turn off the oven and open the door, allowing the cake to stand and cool slowly in the residual warmth until it slumps and flattens.  Those who rush this cool down process, or stick a warm cheesecake in the refrigerator, are likely to discover that their beautiful cake has developed a hideous, irrevocable crack through its surface.

So how to turn my beautiful, thick and flawless sweet cheesecake into the Cheddar Cheesecake of my memory?  I decided to keep it as close to my own cheesecake recipe as possible.  I substituted panko for the graham crackers in the crust, adding a little salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning, then mixing it with melted butter and pressing it into the pan.  For the batter itself, I retained the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs, but omitted the sugar and vanilla.  Instead, I added a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce to impart a salty low note behind the cheese.  I grated 8 ounces of Extra Sharp Cabot Cheddar with a fine grater and mixed it into the cream cheese mixture.  The final batter had as much body as my traditional cheesecake with small lumps from the cheddar.  I assumed (correctly) that these would melt down during the baking process.

I am happy to report that the final product looks pretty good!  It cooled to room temperature without even the tiniest of cracks.  I covered it and popped it in the refrigerator until Thursday.  I plan to serve it next to a small toss of baby arugula and dried cranberries, dressed in homemade champagne vinaigrette.  If it tastes like the Cheddar Cheesecake from that beautiful weekend in Vermont, I will have something else for which to be thankful.