I need help nailing a blueberry lemon cheesecake

submitted over 9 years ago by thedirtyprojectorOne of "The Damned"

Hi guys, it's me again. I know I haven't been contributing as much much but I've just been extremely occupied with work. Anyway my goal is to always try and replicate the authenticity of real desserts I have consumed. The last being blueberry lemon cheesecake. Blueberry cheesecake is common enough. The sweetness of the blueberries blends incredibly well with the tangy-ness from the cheesecake. But when you add lemon to the mix, it does magical things. It makes the flavour profile brighter, gives the berries more tart and accentuates the cheesiness of the cake.

However, after several reiterations, I'm saddened to say I've come up a bit empty. The flavors aren't melding as well as I would like and ultimately, that leads to a very unsatisfying vape. I'm hoping someone here can chime in on how to improve my recipe.

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

6% Capella NY Cheesecake
1% Capella Sweet Cream
1% INW Biscuit
1% FA Custard
1% FA Lemon Sicilly
4% FW Blueberry
0.25% FA Bilberry

Cheesestone

This was adopted and adapted from Wayne's strawberry cheesecake. I used INW Biscuit instead of TFA Graham Cracker Clear, which he used. I have also added FA custard for extra sweetness, creaminess and more importantly, that lemon zest which is prevalent in most italian custards.

Lemon

The lemon is pretty straightforward. I mixed FA custard with FA Lemon Sicilly to get a creamier lemon vape instead of a standard lemonade.

Blueberry

FW Blueberry is one of the best blueberries IMO. Coupled with FA Bilberry, you get a nice ripened blueberry.

Notes:

DAY 1: Vaped with no steep time. The lemon is overpowering but that's entirely normal. Expect it to mellow out after a day or two. There is a subtle undertone of blueberry. However the most prominent flavor is the wet cardboard which I associate with NY Cheesecake.

DAY 2: As predicted, the lemon has died down. However, I think it's died too much. To the point where the recipe has lost that tang which I love in cheesecake. On the plus side, Blueberries are now coming out nicely. In the back, there is still that wet dog/cardboard taste I can't shake off. Maybe I need to drop the cheesecake by 1 or 2%. Thoughts?

DAY 3: Lemon is completely gone. Very strange. Blueberries have taken centre and it feels like lemon was never included in the recipe. I may consider swapping out Lemon Sicilly for Capella Lemon Lime. I taste some mild cream along with an unpleasant taste of cardboard.

Comments

8 points

by Enyawreklawover 9 years agoCreator - Best Recipe of 2015: Rhodonite

Looking at your recipe, try using some Torrone. It has that slight lemon flavor that really works with blueberry/bakeries. Maybe a Lemon Meringue as well. I found using thinner, more acidic lemon flavorings in desserts tend to just die out and mute other notes after time.

1 points

by thedirtyprojectorover 9 years agoOne of "The Damned"

Thanks Wayne.

Here's my current recipe:

4% CAPELLA NY CHEESECAKE
1% CAPELLA SWEET CREAM
1% FA CUSTARD
1.5% TFA GRAHAM CRACKER CLEAR
4% FW BLUEBERRY
4% CAPELLA LEMONMERINGUE PIE
0.25% FA BILBERRY
0.5% FA TORRONE

Will mix it up and report back.

5 points

by TheCatHimselfover 9 years agoPâtissier

1% lemon sicily is pretty weak, honestly. I'd swap the percentages of lemon and blueberry. That wet dog/cardboard taste is probably INW biscuit, a couple people I know have mentioned that it tastes kind of like wet paper. A tiny bit of Greek yogurt will also help with the tangy cheesecake flavor.

3 points

by thedirtyprojectorover 9 years agoOne of "The Damned"

Interesting... I never knew INW Biscuit at 1% could be so potent. I may try another batch with Graham Cracker Clear then. Okay, I think I might just try a 4% Capella Lemon Lime and 4% FW Blueberry batch next. Thank you.

3 points

by TheCatHimselfover 9 years agoPâtissier

I don't think it's so much a potency thing as just, Biscuit has kind of a weird flavor to it. I think it's delicious with no wet paper flavor or weird aftertaste, but everyone tastes things differently. Graham cracker clear is fantastic, though.

1 points

by ID10-Tover 9 years ago

He's right, that 1% Lemon Sicily is nothing after a day or two. Do you have CAP Juicy Lemon or FA Lime Cold-Pressed? Try 4% FA Lemon Sicily plus 0.5% FA Lime Cold Pressed OR 4.5% CAP Juicy Lemon, rather than CAP Lemon Lime, if you have either of those flavors. And then let it steep for several days before you even try it, as the lemon will be overpowering.

1 points

by captenplanet90over 9 years ago

Cap lemon lime might be missing some of the "tanginess" that you're looking for though. Just a heads up. Also, HS Italian cream is really good in cheesecakes I've found.

1 points

by ScreamQueen813over 9 years ago

Agreed. I'm one of the few that really dislikes Biscuit, it tastes just like wet paper to me. I've sourced it from different vendors hoping to make it work, but I've realized it's me.

3 points

by NotCharlesMansonover 9 years agoFirst diy_ejuice Recipe Contest- Best Recipe

I tried making a blueberry & lemon whipped cream a couple weeks back. The whipped cream didn't turn out like I was hoping, but the fruit mix was exactly where I wanted it. It's similar to yours:

3% FW Blueberry

.5% FA Bilberry

.25% INW Lemon Concentrate

That INW Lemon has staying power. It's still noticeable after two weeks and mixes pretty well with the blueberries.

2 points

by cyantacoover 9 years ago

Too much cheesecake. I suggest this recipe. It worked amazing for me, you can add any flavor to the base, it just has to be the perfect amount. If you have too much cheesecake it's going to take over other flavors without you even knowing sometimes.

4% NY Cheesecake CaP 2.5% Cheesecake Graham Crust TFA .75% Meringue FA .75% Sweet Cream CaP .5% Torrone FA

Torrone is amazing in cheesecake.

1 points

by ScreamQueen813over 9 years ago

CAP Lemon Meringue Pie or CAP Juicy Lemon would fit in nicely here. LMP would tend to give you the lemon flavor while also adding another level of bakery flavor, and the Juicy Lemon would provide a stronger, sweeter lemon aspect. I've also found that my cheesecake juices seem to taste more realistic without Biscuit, and using graham flavorings instead.

1 points

by Xenonraeover 9 years ago

Have you found anything that works better for you?

1 points

by thedirtyprojectorover 9 years agoOne of "The Damned"

Are you referring to the overall recipe, or the lemon replacement?

1 points

by loldatheover 9 years ago

Try 2% CAP Lemon Meringue Pie in place of the Lemon Sicily, or Torrone like Wayne says. He uses it in the Bluenuts recipe for the lemon aspect, and while it may be light it plays well with the blueberry and bakery aspect.