In Celebration of National Cheesecake Day on July 30th, try a new take on traditional Italian Cheesecake with a new recipe from the folks at the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium.
Parmigiano Reggiano cheesecake: a modern twist
The original recipe combines authentic 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, aka the “King of Cheese”, with a buttery cookie crust and fresh whipped cream. The resulting flavor is the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and umami, with the creamy richness and light, airy texture we all know and love.
Here and below is the recipe for Parmigiano Reggiano Cheesecake.
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheesecake
* 1 cup 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
* 1 cup digestive crumbs
* 4 Tbsp sugar
* 1 stick butter, melted
* 28 oz (3.5 packs) cream cheese, softened
* 1 can (14 oz) condensed milk
* 2 Tbsp AP flour
* 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 4 eggs
- Line a 9-inch cake tin with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 340°F
- Mix digestive crumbs, sugar, and butter. Spoon over the base of the tin and press down. Mix cheese and condensed milk until fluffy
- Add flour, lemon juice, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Add eggs, combine, and pour mixture into the crust
- Cook for 1 hour 10 minutes and cool before serving
Sweet Cheese Crisps *Optional for serving
* ½ stick butter
* ½ cup icing sugar
* 1 egg
* ¼ cup AP flour
* 2 ½ Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
* ¼ cup flaked almonds
- Cream together butter and icing sugar. Slowly beat in the egg, then fold in the flour and Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Spread thin layers of the mixture into a greaseproof sheet. Sprinkle over almonds and more sugar.
- Bake for 3-4 minutes until golden and quickly curl around a rolling pin.
To Serve
* 1 Tbsp icing sugar
* ⅔ cups heavy cream
* ½ tsp vanilla extract
* Mint, Blueberries
- Whisk cream with sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- Serve slices of cheesecake with whipped cream, garnish with Sweet Cheese Crisps, mint, and blueberries
About Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the oldest and richest cheeses in the world. This cheese is essentially produced like nine centuries ago: using the same ingredients (milk, salt and rennet), with the same craftsmanship and production technique that has undergone very few changes over the centuries, thanks to the decision to keep a fully natural production, without the use of additives. Its production is governed by strict Specifications, registered with the European Union, because Parmigiano Reggiano is a cheese with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), i.e. a product that, based on its distinctive characteristics and its tie to the area of origin, is safeguarded by a system provided by the EU to protect consumers and producers alike. To bear the designation “Parmigiano Reggiano PDO”, the cheese must be made following strict rules. First of all, it has to be produced in the Area of origin (which includes the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua to the right of the Po river, and Bologna to the left of the Reno River – a surface of approximately 10,000 km2). The production of cow’s milk, the processing into cheese, the maturation until a minimum age of 12 months, the packaging and the grating of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO has to take place exclusively in the area of origin. Therefore, it is not possible to make Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with milk produced outside this area or coming from abroad. Furthermore, Parmigiano Reggiano has to be made using artisan and natural methods that are established in the Product Regulation and in the strict Specifications, which set forth specific production procedures (Production Standard), a special diet for cows (Feeding Regulation for Dairy Cattle), rules for using the hot-iron mark (Marking Regulation).
