On social media, I keep seeing cheesecake with Speculoos popping up. Is it the algorithm, or is Speculoos Cheesecake simply popular?
One thing is certain: this cake is irresistibly delicious, so it's no wonder it keeps showing up. For our website, I created a recipe with coffee in the topping.
The cake is quite rich, so although it's modest in size (18 cm), you can cut it into 8 to 10 slices.
Which coffee or tea goes well with this cake?
A bold coffee works best in this cake. I used coarsely ground (French press grind) India Monsooned. It has a lovely full-bodied flavor that comes through nicely against the speculoos. But a bold espresso, such as Zeeuws Pittig or Palermo, works really well too.
You can also find flavors from the cookies, such as brown sugar, in coffee. These flavors develop as the natural sugars caramelize during the roasting of the green beans.
The creamy cake with its caramel-like speculoos flavor pairs perfectly with a flat white or cortado. The India Monsooned I used in the cake also makes a wonderful base for coffee with milk, so it's a great match!
Looking for a specific tea to pair with this cake? A fitting tea that goes well with the cheesecake is Milky Oolong. The creamy flavor of this tea, which is also roasted, pairs perfectly with both the speculoos and the cream cheese in this cake.
Equipment
- 1 springform pan, 18–20 cm
- Baking paper or a little butter or baking spray
- Mixer for combining the ingredients
The cheesecake batter doesn't need to be whipped to incorporate air, so you could just as easily use a wooden spoon.
- Oven
- Shallow baking dish
Ingredients
The crust
- 175 grams speculoos cookies
- 60 grams unsalted butter
The filling
- 600 grams cream cheese
- 115 grams sugar
- 3 eggs
- 25 grams cornstarch
- 150 grams sour cream
- 150 grams speculoos spread
The topping
- 150 grams speculoos spread
- 7 grams coarsely ground coffee
- a few cookies, crumbled
Method
Preheat the oven to 130 degrees. Grease a springform pan or line it with baking paper.
The crust
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Crush the cookies for the crust. You can do this in a food processor or chopper. Alternatively, you can put the cookies in a sturdy plastic bag (such as a freezer bag) and crush them with a rolling pin. (A fun activity if you have some energy to spare.)
Add the cookie crumbs to the butter and mix well.
Spread the mixture over the base of your springform pan and press it down firmly, for example with the bottom of a glass.
Chill the crust in the refrigerator until completely cold.
The filling
Put the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat the cream cheese until smooth with a stand mixer or wooden spoon. Add the eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in the speculoos spread and sour cream.
Finally, sift in the cornstarch and stir well to combine.
Pour the mixture onto the completely cooled crust and smooth the top.
Place the cheesecake in the middle of the oven and put a shallow baking dish filled with boiling water on the bottom of the oven. This helps the cheesecake bake more evenly.
Bake the cake for about 75 minutes, though it may take a little longer or less time. Check that the center still wobbles while the rest looks firm.
If the center no longer wobbles, you've left it too long. Unfortunately, you'll end up with a dry cheesecake with a somewhat grainy texture.
Let the cheesecake cool, then refrigerate it for at least 4 hours.
The topping
Warm the speculoos spread in a small saucepan over very low heat. (You can also use the microwave.)
Stir in the coarsely ground coffee. Pour the melted spread over the cake. You can gently spread it over the edge for a drip-cake effect. As the spread cools, you'll find that you can draw a pattern in it that stays visible for longer, depending on the temperature. I used a comb to draw circles. Sprinkle some more cookie crumbs over the cake.
Storage
The cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Want to enjoy it for longer? The cake freezes well and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
