Cheesecake with Strawberry Glaze from the 1960’s Argo® Cornstarch Box and Mercury Retrograde

Tax time AND Friday the 13th? Sheesh!!

I don’t know if today’s being Friday the 13th is as bad as when Mercury is in retrograde, but it does spook some people.

Some people do stress out for one or for the other or for both.

And wouldn’t you know it, Mercury is in retrograde until April 15th this year.

So, when they come together during tax time it seems to me that it’s time to do whatever you need to do to calm yourself.

A slice of cheesecake works for me.

I recently posted a recipe for a ricotta cheesecake - Ricotta and Cream Cheese Pie.

A reader asked if I had the recipe for the cheesecake recipe that used to be printed on the Argo® cornstarch box, from back in the 60s when it came in a cardboard box. 

Of course I do. Ma made it, so it’s an old favourite.

It’s amazing how many different cheesecake recipes there are in the world.

This recipe uses small curd cottage cheese instead of ricotta.

The texture is a little different since the curds add a bit of bite to the filling.

That can be fixed (see Hints), if the lumps bother you.

If they don’t, make a cheesecake, have a slice and relax a bit.

After eating a slice please get back to your taxes.

Mercury retrograde doesn’t work as an excuse with the tax folks.

Trust me.

Hints:

On the box it said about the cottager cheese: 

“Use as dry a cream style variety as possible.” 

It also said: “Sieve cottage cheese into large mixing bowl.”

You can also put the cottage cheese in a blender and blend until it is as smooth as you want it to be.

This recipe can also be made in an angel food cake pan, preferable with a springform pan bottom.

The cake will rise above the pan, then settle back down. 

This cake has been known to get cracks on top.

Some people put a pan of water next to, or on the rack below, the cheesecake. Others wrap the springform pan with foil and then put the cheesecake pan in the pan of water.

But sometimes the cake will crack on top, even with a pan of water placed in the oven.

No big problem. It’s still delicious.

About slicing cheesecake…

I’ve heard of people slicing the cake with unflavoured dental floss. Really. 

They just stretch a longish piece of floss across the cake, hold it tight, and bring it down. Then they let go of one end and pull the floss through to cut the cake in half.

Then they turn the cake, and repeat as needed for the number of slices they want.

I think most folks just use a big knife or pie server. 

I know I do.

The cheesecake can be frozen whole or in slices. 

                        Cheesecake

Serves 12

Preheat oven to 325º F

Grease a 9 inch springform pan

Dust with 

2 Tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

Set aside.

Sieve in large mixing bowl

2 Cups small curd cottage cheese

Add

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

Beat at high speed until well blended and creamy. 

Beating at high speed, blend in

1 1/2 Cups sugar

4 eggs, slightly beaten

Reduce speed to low.

Add 

1/3 Cup Argo® corn starch

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until blended. 

Add 

1/2 Cup margarine, melted

2 Cups sour cream 

Blend with low speed.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. 

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until firm around edges. 

Turn the oven off. Let the cake stand in the oven for 2 hours. 

Remove the pan from the oven, and cool completely on a wire rack. 

Chill overnight for best results. 

Remove sides of pan and serve plain, or with your favourite fruit topping.

While you have the box of Argo® Corn Starch out you can make

                        Strawberry Glaze

Place in a saucepan

1 Tablespoon Argo® Corn Starch

1/4 Cup water

1/3 Cup Karo® Light Corn Syrup

Stir together.

Add 

1/4 Cup crushed fresh or frozen strawberries, peaches or blueberries

Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 1 minute. Strain. 

Stir in 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cool slightly.

Drizzle glaze over cake and top with fresh fruit just before serving.