What's in Grandma's Recipe Tin?-Piña Colada Cheesecake

All right, so this week's recipe was a fun one! It presented quite a challenge to me, one I really enjoyed conquering! I chose this cheesecake recipe for a specific reason. One of my friends has some health issues that makes eating difficult, and this weekend is the Jewish holiday of Shavuot/Shavuos, the "dairy" holiday, as she explained it to me. She encouraged me to eat as much dairy as I possibly can this weekend in her stead, and I happily stepped up to the challenge! And as her grandmother passed away just a couple days ago, I thought if I could find a good recipe that fit the dairy bill, I could use my grandmother's recipe, to honor her grandmother's memory. So, I looked through the box and found one cheesecake recipe that has cream cheese, butter, and sour cream all in the ingredient list. That's quite a bit of dairy in one recipe, so I knew it was the perfect one to try out.

The recipe's original title is "O Grancho Cheese Cake" or at least that's what it looks like written on the card. There is no known source of this recipe written on the card, so I don't know if that's the name of the person who created the recipe or a company from long ago that created it, or what, but to me, it means nothing. And it tells me nothing about the cheesecake. I looked at the list of ingredients to see if anything stood out. Crushed pineapple in the batter, and coconut flakes in the crust. Bingo! Piña Colada Cheesecake, a much better and accurate name for this recipe.

As I said, this recipe presented me a few challenges. There were very little instructions on what to do to make the crust other than "mix and press in buttered spring-form pan," and that basically tells me nothing. I had to guess and hope for the best. Fortunately for me, it all worked out rather well! And as it turns out, you don't need to butter the pan. So, without further ado, let me share the recipe with you:

Piña Colada Cheesecake

16 oz. cream cheese
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups sour cream*
1 can crushed pineapple** (reserve the pineapple juice)

Crust:
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds, toasted
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Mix the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar well, until fluffy.

Add the beaten eggs, and blend well.

Add the sour cream and mix until completely blended.

Fold in the well-drained pineapple, and set aside to pour into the crust.

To make the crust:
If you have whole graham crackers, use a gallon-size bag and a rolling pin or a food processor to grind them. I used a food processor for mine. When well-ground, place them in a bowl large enough to fit all the crust ingredients. Place the coconut flakes and toasted almonds in a food processor and process until they're the same size as the crushed graham crackers. Place them and the sugar in the bowl with the cracker crumbs and blend well.

Melt the butter and add the almond extract to it. Pour into the bowl and stir well to fully incorporate it with the crust ingredients.

Dump the crust ingredients into a springform pan and press into the bottom and up the sides. This makes enough to cover the sides nearly to the top. Try to make sure it's uniform, especially on the bottom.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the crust for two minutes to help it set. When that's done, remove it from the oven and pour the batter into the crust. It will nearly cover the sides of the crust.

Bake for 1 hour in the oven, before checking to see how set it is. You will definitely want a sheet pan under this on a lower rack, because butter will melt out of the bottom of the pan and you will regret the mess to clean up, if you don't.

After 1 hour, it may need a little more time to bake. Cheesecake baking is difficult in that it's really hard to tell if it's done, unless you have done this a lot. As I haven't baked a cheesecake in probably 15+ years, I was definitely rusty, and erred on the side of baking longer than it probably needed.

This was after an hour and 15 minutes, and just out of the oven.

This is after it fell. Cheesecakes fall, it's just what they do, don't worry when it happens to yours! It's browner on top than I would like, and cracked around the edge, but I would rather have a browner top than a raw center. Figuring out just the right time to bake comes with practice, and I need more of it, I think! I will admit, it's not the prettiest cheesecake I've ever made or seen, but it's the taste and texture that matters most. I was happy with the results, ultimately. When this is done, let it sit for a while to cool down a bit before placing it in the fridge to cool overnight.

The next day I took it out of the fridge and removed the side of the springform pan. It was time for a taste test.

I found it actually tasted better when it wasn't super cold, so I recommend letting it sit for a while and come closer to room temperature. The texture isn't perfect, and I can't tell if it's because of the pineapple, or over-baking, or a combo of both, but the flavor is pretty good. But it wasn't pineappley enough for my tastes. So, I thought and thought about it and the answer came to me: the leftover pineapple juice that I had saved from the crushed pineapple. I poured it into a pan and and slowly reduced it over medium heat until it was thick and syrupy. Can I just tell you how amazing it tastes poured over the cheesecake?! I poured the rest of it over the rest of the cheesecake and then for a bit of texture, I sprinkled the extra graham cracker crumbs on the top.

I left a little bit without graham crackers on top so that when I take it to work tomorrow, my coworkers can try it with or without if they like.

So, what did I learn from this baking experiment? I learned that I miss making cheesecake and I should probably do it more often to perfect the timing. I learned that even when a recipe doesn't have all the steps written out, if you have enough of a cooking/baking foundation, you can pretty much figure it out, even without them. I learned that pineapple in the cheesecake might make the texture taste a bit funny, but it still tastes great. And honestly, it's the pineapple syrup that takes it over the top. Do not miss this step. Don't be afraid to experiment. It didn't call for that at all, but it just "made" the dish!

This cheesecake is really rich, and the original recipe says it makes 12 servings. I didn't cut mine into 12 pieces, but feel like those are probably big slices and can probably be cut smaller to make more servings. There's a lot of sugar in this, so smaller pieces are probably the way to go!

Cheesecakes feel really fancy, but they aren't that hard to make. They are hard to gauge the doneness, however. That just takes time and practice. What better time to start practicing, than right now!

I don't know if this recipe is kosher or if my friend's grandmother would have enjoyed it. Some people really hate coconut! But I did take some time while making the cheesecake to think about the elders in our lives, and how it's good to listen to them and learn from them while we have them in our lives. This project is helping me to remember that. I would encourage all of us to listen to our elders, learn from them, learn their stories, while they're still here with us. Make sure to hug your grandparents while you still can!

Happy Baking!
-Foodie

*I actually measured the sour cream into cups, rather than used a pint and an 8oz. container of sour cream. This ended up using a few tablespoons more than those, so make sure you have plenty of sour cream on hand!
**The original recipe does't say what size of a can to use and I had every intention of buying an 8oz. can, but the store brand was all out of that size and there was no way I was paying the price of the name brand, so I ended up with a 19oz. can of the store brand, which was probably still cheaper than the smaller size of the name brand. I didn't use all of it, but as you'll see later, I did use all the juice from it, so I recommend the larger size can.

Dining-In: A Culinary Tour of the World-French Polynesia

The Location: French Polynesia

Continent: Australia and Oceania-Polynesia
Capital: Pape'ete
Current Head of State: Edouard Fritch
Form of Government: Parliamentary Representative Democratic French Overseas Collectivity
Official Language: French
Ethnic Groups: Polynesians, East Asians, Europeans, people of two or more ethnicities
Formation Date: 2003-Became a fully French overseas collectivity, but the first inhabitants of the islands date back to 300 BC.
Currency: CFP Franc
Independence Day: None
Main Religion: Christianity-Maoi Protestant Church is the main denomination
National Anthem: 

The Food: Chicken(Poulet) Fa Fa and Po'e
This meal is a coconut lover's dream come true! If you don't like coconut, you'll need to skip this one entirely, because it can't really be swapped out without completely altering the recipes. But, I happen to be a coconut lover, so this was the perfect meal for me! I even found a way to incorporate even more coconut into it than it originally called for! I was very proud of myself. I couldn't find side dishes that worked with this meal that I hadn't already done for Hawaii last year, so I just made plain white rice and that was the perfect thing to serve it with. The chicken has a lot of sauce and the rice sops it up nicely. Because the rice is sort of plain, it doesn't mask any of the flavor of the sauce. There are greens in the dish, so you don't necessarily need another vegetable, but I made green beans because I had some on hand. All the recipes came from the internet. I will include the links to the originals, but will write out how I made them.

Chicken Fa Fa

1 1/2 lb. taro leaves (fa fa), (The taro must be cooked in saltwater first to remove irritating cacium oxalate from the leaves.) (My note: The note about cooking them first, you actually want to take that very seriously. Both the leaves and root of the taro plant can be poisonous if not cooked thoroughly. Don't let that intimidate you, though. Just cook them for the amount of time recommended and you'll be fine. Taro leaves can be found at most Asian markets. However, my market was out of them when I went to look for them, so I had to use the alternative) or Spinach (stems removed, chopped. If using frozen spinach, thaw first. Then squeeze dry before adding to the simmering chicken.) (My note: I wasn't able to find taro leaves, but I did find Chinese Spinach in the freezer section. It looks different than Western spinach, but it tastes just the same. It comes with the stems on and they are attached in clusters of leaves. I would recommend cutting off the parts where they are attached because they don't look too appealing.)

2-3 Tbsp. oil-I used vegetable oil

1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into cubes (I recommend buying the whole thighs and breaking them down yourself. It will save you so much money in the end.)
1 onion, chopped finely
2-4 cloves garlic, minced (Garlic is something I always assume I have on hand, but it turns out I didn't have any. I used granulated garlic instead, but I would definitely use the real stuff if you have it.)
1" piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
Salt/Pepper, to taste
2-3 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot(I used cornstarch)
1 cup coconut cream (Coconut cream is the thick coconut milk that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk. Don't shake the can before you open it and you can skim it right off the top.) (My note: I found coconut cream at the Asian market. Coconut milk is easier to find at traditional grocery stores, but coconut cream is more difficult to find. It's definitely worth it though.)

1.If using taro leaves, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the taro leaves, reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry. If using spinach, skip this step and proceed to Step 2.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large pot. Brown the chicken on all sides in the hot oil. Remove to a plate. Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in the remaining oil till the onion is translucent. Add back the chicken pieces, stock or water, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Add the taro leaves or spinach and simmer another 15 minutes till chicken is tender.

3. Stir the cornstarch or arrowroot into 2-3 tablespoons of cold water and then stir into the simmering sauce to thicken lightly. Stir in coconut cream to finish and serve over rice.

This was really tasty! I wish I could have used the taro leaves, but the spinach was really nice too. The coconut flavor was actually pretty mild, and I could have used a hint of spice in this. It was easy to make, and a really nice change of pace from any other chicken and rice dishes I've had. I highly recommend this one. I will be eating the leftovers tonight and I'm curious to see how it tastes the next day.

Now for dessert! This was a fun one. Very different from anything I've ever made before.

Po'e

3-4 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
¼ cup brown sugar (I used coconut sugar)
½ cup arrowroot or cornstarch (I used cornstarch)
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup coconut cream

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Puree the bananas in a blender or food processor.(I used a potato masher and a bowl and it worked just fine. Much less clean up that way.) There should be enough puree to make 2 cups.
2. Mix together the coconut sugar and cornstarch. Add this mixture and the vanilla to the bananas and mix well. There should not be any lumps of starch. Adjust sugar to taste.

3. Butter a 2-qt. baking dish and pour in the puree. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the pudding is firm and bubbling. (There was a note for how to do this a different way and I did this way instead: Use a banana leaf cut into pieces to wrap spoonfuls of the batter. Butter some leaves and place the batter in the center. Wrap tightly and place in the 2-qt. dish. Cover dish with foil and put in the oven. I cooked it for the entire time it called for but I feel it was a little overdone, so I would probably cook it for 20-30 minutes and see how it looks.) Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.

4. Cut into cubes and place into a large serving bowl or in individual bowls. Top with a dollop of coconut cream, a little more brown sugar and serve. (I didn’t cut into cubes but I can see how this would be fun to eat.)

I made a half batch but the original recipe for was for twice a much. Depending on how many people you're feeding, this is easy enough to alter. These were sort of like a Polynesian dessert version of tamales. This was a really sweet dessert! I could only eat a few bites. I think in the future I would cut the amount of sugar in half. The ripe bananas are already very sweet, so you don't need to add too much to them. 

I have never had coconut cream before and is it ever delicious! It has the same consistency as whipped cream, but a slight coconut flavor and is dairy free. This dessert is actually vegan, so anybody can enjoy it, unless you have a banana or coconut allergy...There's just something extra cool about using the banana leaves. It's the traditional way to make it, so it just feels more authentic. Banana leaves are not hard to find at Asian markets, and because they are a byproduct of banana production, they are pretty inexpensive. They keep well in the freezer, so if you use them for one recipe, keep the leftovers and you'll find more ways to use them up eventually.

I watched the movie South Pacific while I cooked and ate this meal. It's the perfect movie for these recipes. If you love coconuts, you will love this meal!

Sources:

Country Info

National Anthem

Country Flag

Country Map

Chicken Fa Fa Recipe

Po'e Recipe

1 1/2 lbs- Taro leaves (fa fa), The taro must be cooked in saltwater first to remove irritating cacium oxalate

from the leaves.)

or Spinach (stems removed, chopped)

(If using frozen spinach, thaw first.

Then squeeze dry before adding to the simmering chicken.)

2-3 Tbsp- Oil

1 1/2 lbs -whole Chicken thighs

(Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts if you like. Cut into cubes before sautéing.)

2 -Onions chopped finely

2-4 -cloves of Garlic minced

1" -piece of Ginger root peeled and minced

1 1/2 cups -Stock or water


Salt & pepper -to taste

2-3 tsp- Cornstarch or arrowroot

1 cup- Coconut cream (Coconut cream is the thick coconut milk that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk.

Don't shake the can before you open it and you can skim it right off the top.)

Basic Steps: Simmer → Brown → Sauté → Simmer → Thicken → Finish with coconut cream

1.If using taro leaves, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the taro leaves, reduce heat and simmer

for 30-40 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry. If using spinach, skip this step and proceed to Step 2.

2. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large pot. Brown the chicken on all sides in the hot oil. Remove to

a plate. Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in the remaining oil till the onion is translucent. Add back the

chicken pieces, stock or water, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20

minutes. Add the taro leaves or spinach and simmer another 15 minutes till chicken is tender.

3. Stir the cornstarch or arrowroot into 2-3 tablespoons of cold water and then stir into the simmering sauce

to thicken lightly. Stir in coconut cream to finish and serve over rice.

- See more at: http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/chicken-fa-fa-tahitian-recipe.html#sthash.zXNbn7NU.dpuf

1 1/2 lbs- Taro leaves (fa fa), The taro must be cooked in saltwater first to remove irritating cacium oxalate

from the leaves.)

or Spinach (stems removed, chopped)

(If using frozen spinach, thaw first.

Then squeeze dry before adding to the simmering chicken.)

2-3 Tbsp- Oil

1 1/2 lbs -whole Chicken thighs

(Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts if you like. Cut into cubes before sautéing.)

2 -Onions chopped finely

2-4 -cloves of Garlic minced

1" -piece of Ginger root peeled and minced

1 1/2 cups -Stock or water


Salt & pepper -to taste

2-3 tsp- Cornstarch or arrowroot

1 cup- Coconut cream (Coconut cream is the thick coconut milk that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk.

Don't shake the can before you open it and you can skim it right off the top.)

Basic Steps: Simmer → Brown → Sauté → Simmer → Thicken → Finish with coconut cream

1.If using taro leaves, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the taro leaves, reduce heat and simmer

for 30-40 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry. If using spinach, skip this step and proceed to Step 2.

2. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large pot. Brown the chicken on all sides in the hot oil. Remove to

a plate. Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in the remaining oil till the onion is translucent. Add back the

chicken pieces, stock or water, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20

minutes. Add the taro leaves or spinach and simmer another 15 minutes till chicken is tender.

3. Stir the cornstarch or arrowroot into 2-3 tablespoons of cold water and then stir into the simmering sauce

to thicken lightly. Stir in coconut cream to finish and serve over rice.

- See more at: http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/chicken-fa-fa-tahitian-recipe.html#sthash.zXNbn7NU.dpuf

1 1/2 lbs- Taro leaves (fa fa), The taro must be cooked in saltwater first to remove irritating cacium oxalate

from the leaves.)

or Spinach (stems removed, chopped)

(If using frozen spinach, thaw first.

Then squeeze dry before adding to the simmering chicken.)

2-3 Tbsp- Oil

1 1/2 lbs -whole Chicken thighs

(Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts if you like. Cut into cubes before sautéing.)

2 -Onions chopped finely

2-4 -cloves of Garlic minced

1" -piece of Ginger root peeled and minced

1 1/2 cups -Stock or water


Salt & pepper -to taste

2-3 tsp- Cornstarch or arrowroot

1 cup- Coconut cream (Coconut cream is the thick coconut milk that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk.

Don't shake the can before you open it and you can skim it right off the top.)

Basic Steps: Simmer → Brown → Sauté → Simmer → Thicken → Finish with coconut cream

1.If using taro leaves, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the taro leaves, reduce heat and simmer

for 30-40 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry. If using spinach, skip this step and proceed to Step 2.

2. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large pot. Brown the chicken on all sides in the hot oil. Remove to

a plate. Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in the remaining oil till the onion is translucent. Add back the

chicken pieces, stock or water, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20

minutes. Add the taro leaves or spinach and simmer another 15 minutes till chicken is tender.

3. Stir the cornstarch or arrowroot into 2-3 tablespoons of cold water and then stir into the simmering sauce

to thicken lightly. Stir in coconut cream to finish and serve over rice.

- See more at: http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/chicken-fa-fa-tahitian-recipe.html#sthash.zXNbn7NU.dpuf