Fried cheesecake is a type of dessert made primarily with cream cheese that has been coated in a crumbly shell or enveloped in dough and then deep fried briefly in oil. Normally, slices or balls of cheesecake are used for this purpose. When frying at home, the cake itself can either be store bought or homemade, but it is normally frozen or chilled thoroughly before being fried. Fried cheesecake is also sometimes available in restaurants.
Cheesecake itself is made with cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and butter, but other flavors, such as fruits or chocolates can be included. The cream cheese is normally beaten with the sugar then the eggs to create the filling for a cheesecake. Any additional flavorings are stirred in afterward. These cakes also normally have a signature graham cracker crust, made by crushing and mixing graham crackers with butter, and then pressing the mixture into a pan. The completed batter is poured into the crust and baked. Once baked, the cake is first cooled, then chilled or frozen.
Whether using homemade or store-bought cake, the dessert should be cut into wedges, squares, or shaped into balls before deep frying. The pieces of the cake can then be wrapped or coated. If wrapped, a thin pastry dough, like filo, or an Asian wrapper, such as for spring rolls, can be used. Wrappers may first be dipped in an egg wash, made of milk and beaten eggs, or their interior may be coated with a sweet homemade spread, such as a mix of butter, sugar, and nutmeg. Then, each wrapper can be secured around a cheesecake piece by folding like an egg roll or tying it with string.
If the dessert is coated rather than wrapped, the cake portions should be frozen before being handled. After freezing, they can be dipped in buttermilk and then coated in cookie or cornflake crumbs. They are then returned to the freezer for at least two hours before frying.
Deep frying cheesecake is a brief process. Usually an oil that does not add much flavor, such as peanut or canola, is used to fry. The balls or wedges of cake are submerged in the hot oil for a minute or less so the outer shell turns crispy while the interior is still cool and creamy. Once complete, the fried cheesecake is set aside to drain and cooled slightly. Fried cheesecake can be topped with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or a praline or chocolate sauce and should be served immediately after cooling.
