The Quest For The Perfect Käsekuchen


You will soon realise that I love almost all food.  Despite this love, which some might actually consider an obsession, there's one particular thing I've never been keen on.  Cheesecake.  I'd always found it far too sweet and sickly, and thought that this would just be one of the few things I would never enjoy.  This all changed during my recent trip to Berlin, when I visited the Jewish Museum (www.jmberlin.de/), and discovered the delights of käsekuchen.   



I had seen two characters in the 2008 film Good (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436364/), portrayed by Viggo Mortensen and Jason Isaacs, enjoying this dessert, and, assuming it was just the same cheesecake I disliked, I never understood their enthusiasm for it.  Until now. I immediately fell in love with the subtle flavours and creamy texture of käsekuchen, and as a result, ordered it at every opportunity.  Although on the one hand, this was great as I got to eat lots of this wonderful cheesecake, on the other hand, not every cheesecake was the same, and so sometimes I was left slightly disappointed.  These varying experiences have inspired me to find my definition of the perfect käsekuchen, and, having begun compiling a rather long list of recipes, found both in books and through the internet, I intend to embark on this culinary journey as soon as possible! If anyone has any favourite/tried and tested recipes for this, I'd love to hear them! 
Classics and Ancient History PhD student at the University of Liverpool, working on Lucan, Necromancy, and Civil War. Generously funded by the AHRC NWCDTP. Also enjoys music, polo, and gin. For more information, head here: www.nwcdtp.ac.uk/current-students/student-profiles/elaine-sanderson/

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