Bunn

A great cup of coffee + a giant piece of cheesecake= YUM!

Creamy. Delectable. Rich... Words that describe one of my favorite desserts of all time-- cheesecake. Yum! And like so many popular foods there is actually a day dedicated to this special dessert. July 30 is National Cheesecake Day.   Celebrate National Cheesecake Day by indulging in this delicious treat.     

I personally love topping off a delicious meal with a giant piece of cheesecake and a fresh cup of coffee.   Actually, because of its’ rich flavor cheesecake is a dessert that pairs well with many different coffees.  To help you find the perfect coffee we have included some suggestions for coffee and cheesecake pairings. 

However, If you want to incorporate coffee into your cheesecake, then try the Strawberry Coffee Cheesecake recipe from Adventures in Coffee cookbook.  And you know what? We say since it technically has fruit incorporated into the recipe it could be considered a healthy food for just this one day, right?  Wishful thinking at least!

Enjoy National Cheesecake Day!

Cheesecake and Coffee Pairings
Cheesecake is a dessert that has very rich flavor.   Coffee is a beverage that has many different flavor profiles and nuances. What coffee you pair your cheesecake with is really a matter of personal preference, however here are some suggestions on different coffees to try with your cheesecake.

1. Dark Roast Coffee
As a general rule rich desserts pair well with darker roast coffees.  Talkaboutcoffee.com suggests pairing cheesecake with a “dark roast Ethiopian or a Tanzanian coffee.”

 2.  Coffee with bright acidity
To contrast to the rich, decadent flavor of cheesecake,  sheknows.com suggests pairing with a coffee that has bright acidity.  The site suggests coffees from the Americas (Costa Rica, Colombia,Guatemala) as coffee from this region of the world have “inherent acidity.”

3. Coffee with chocolate and spice undertones
To enhance the flavor of cheesecake, suite101.com suggests African coffee as it has the “undertones of chocolate and spice” that can help accent the cheesecake flavor.

Strawberry Coffee Cheesecake Recipe

• 1 Graham Cracker crust, below
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 pint fresh strawberries

Prepare pie crust; bake and cool.  Whip cream cheese until light; add egg yolks, sugar, coffee liqueur, and lemon rind.  Mix well.  Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into cream cheese mixture.  Place half of the strawberries on bottom of prepared pie crust.  Pour cream cheese mixture on top.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes; allow to cool completely.  Garnish with remaining strawberries and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Yields: 6-8 servings

 Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 ½ cups  graham crackers, crushed
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• ¼ cup sugar

Pour graham cracker crumbs and sugar into a 9”pie pan. Add butter and blend together.  Press mixture firmly into the bottom and up sides of pan.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes at 350.  Cool, then fill.

Yield:  One 9” crust