Persimmon Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake

In the NutriGuide test kitchen, Chief Culinary Specialist Stewart Lucas refined this classic Persimmon Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake to celebrate vibrant, wholesome ingredients. By prioritizing aromatic layering and precise thermal control, this recipe achieves remarkable culinary depth while preserving natural micronutrients and wholesome texture.

At NutriGuide, our mission is to ensure that home cooking is both accessible and culinary-grade. When executing Persimmon Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake, focus on fresh aromatics, dry surface contact for proper searing, and allowing the food to rest before serving.

• PREP TIME: 1½ Hours
• MAKES: 1 (10-inch) Cake
• COMMENT:
• Fall is fast approaching, and
• persimmons are coming into season.
• We have combined this vibrant, sweet
• fruit with our Bittersweet Plantation
• Dairy Creole cream cheese to create
• this luscious dessert.
• INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST:
• ● 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ● ¼ cups sugar
• ● 4 tbsps melted butter

Chef's Sourcing & Quality Tips:

• Produce & Aromatics: Always use fresh whole aromatics and seasonal herbs rather than dehydrated powders when possible.
• Cooking Oils: Utilize cold-pressed oils with appropriate smoke points such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
• Salt & Seasoning: Season from a modest height above the pan to ensure an even, uniform crystalline dispersion.

Follow these sequential steps with careful attention to sensory cues and cooking temperatures:

Step 1: Technique & Execution

METHOD FOR CRUST: Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar

Step 2: Technique & Execution

Drizzle melted butter into the mixture to moisten

Step 3: Technique & Execution

Using your fingertips, press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch round spring form pan

Step 4: Technique & Execution

Place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until crust is firm to the touch

Step 5: Technique & Execution

INGREDIENTS FOR CHEESECAKE: ● 1 cup persimmons, skinned and puréed ● 2 (11.5-ounce) packages Bittersweet Plantation Dairy Creole Cream Cheese ● 3 (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia cream cheese ● 3 whole eggs ● 1½ cups sugar ● 1 pinch nutmeg ● 2 tbsps vanilla ● 1 tbsp lemon juice ● 2 tbsps lemon zest INGREDIENTS FOR TOPPING: ● 1 pound sour cream ● 2 tbsps vanilla ● ½ cup sugar ● 3 tbsps persimmons, skinned and puréed METHOD: Preheat oven to 350°F and test with an oven thermometer for accuracy

Step 6: Technique & Execution

Soften Philadelphia cream cheese to room temperature and place in the bowl of an electric mixer along with Creole cream cheese, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon juice and zest