Champagne Cheese Cake

In the line with the theme for the New Year afternoon tea in form of champagne and marzipan I decided to make this Champagne Cheese Cake using inspiration from this cherry cream cheese cake Christmas style.

The marzipan part inside in this cake is the use of makrons containing marzipan. In order to have firmness in the bottom cake layer I used an almost equal ratio between digestive biscuits and these marzipan makroners.

The champagne part again was dry sparkling wine, as I did not want to spend expensive champagne inside this cake (or inside these champagne scones). The sparkling wine was used in the cream cheese cake mixture.

My friends from Horsens really liked the taste of this cream cheese cake. Another suggestion for a New Year cheese cake could be this New Year cheesecake.

Originally I was considering to add a jellied layer of sparkling wine on the top. But, I was a little concerned, if the gelled layer would be to too difficult to cut on top of softer cheesecake. Another concern was, if the taste would to be too dry and lack sweetness.

The Champagne Cheese Cake did not lack such a jellied top layer.

Champagne Cheese Cake: - 8-10 servings

• Biscuit bottom:
• 100 digestive biscuits
• 125 g makroner with marzipan
• 130 g butter - melted
• Cake mass:
• 4 sheets of gelatine
• 300 g plain full fat cream cheese
• 100 g sour cream, 18% fat 
• 100 g icing sugar
• 2 dl sparkling wine
• Fresh raspberries for decoration - optional

Biscuit bottom:

1. Break the digestive biscuits and marzipan makroner into small pieces using a rolling pin. First place the biscuits and makroner in a freezing bag, so you can control the whereabouts of the cakes.
2. Melt the butter.
3. Stir the butter and biscuits together in a medium mixing bowl.
4. Afterwards press the mass into the bottom of the spring form (18-22 cm).
5. Place the mass cold.

Cake mass:

1. Place the gelatine sheets in a bowl with cold water, let the sheets soak for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the cream cheese, icing sugar and sour cream in a medium mixing bowl, stir it together using an electrical mixer. 
3. Squeeze the gelatine sheets from excess water. Pour ½ dl of sparkling wine into a cooking pot and add in the gelatine leaves. Melt the gelatine sheets in the wine. 
4. Add the wine-gelatine into the cake mass, while you keep mixing to avoid lump formation.
5. Stir in the remaining sparkling wine by hand.
6. Fill the cake mass into the spring form on top of the biscuit layer.
7. Place the cake cold in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
8. Decorate the cheesecake with fresh raspberries prior to serving.
9. Serve the cake with a sweet glass of real champagne :-)