This is my own version of the classic New York cheescake: with some range blossom and pink “pralines” (traditionnal sweet made of an almond wrapped up by cooked sugar), giving it some very nice Provencal notes. You can follw your own inpiration to decorate it: seasonal fruit, jam, honey, chocolate, etc.

Ingredients

Serves 6. Prparation time : 30 minutes Cooking : 1 hour To prepare at least 3 hours in advance.

The crust

• 120g butter biscuits (such as digestives or shortbreads)
• 60g de butter
• 90g crushed pink pralines

Filling

• 720 g Philadelphia cheese
• 20 cl fromage frais
• 40 g caster sugar
• 60 g honey
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom (3 for a stronger taste)
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond essence
• A pinch of salt

Decoration

Pink pralines, seasonal fruit (apricots, strawberries…), etc. You will need a 22cm cheesecake mould.

Step by step

Preheat the oven (150°C – th. 5). Melt butter. Mix biscuits and pralines. Using a blender, crush them. Add butter. I use my stick blender to do this. Spread this sandy mixture in the mould. Store in the fridge or in the freezeer.

Mix together cheese and fromage frais. Add honey, sugar, eggs (one after the other), orange blossom, almond essence and salt. Pour in the mould and cook for one hour, sometimes a bit more depending on your oven. Top of the cheesecake must be slightly golden and still a bit “trembling” in the middle. Leave to cool down then store in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Before serving, decorate the way you want. I decorated mine with some strawberries, crushed pink pralines, white chocolate pieces and dried orange skin.