but there's fluffy clouds on my cake! { almond meringue cheesecake }

It was a cold and rainy winter back home.

I mean... it seemed as all the rain that hadn't been falling over the previous year suddenly came pouring down like crazy. Somehow, it was synchronized with my heart.

Christmas lights were kind of dim that year, but my eyes were dazzled anyway.

I kept my feet near the fireplace, but my mind couldn't help but wandering. Thoughts of other places and other times, which now feel so far away.
Eventually, Christmas would go by, the tingling lights would be switched off, the carols would mute and the magic would fade away.

But, at that time, my mind was only stuck on a piece of cake I had had not long before.

Cheesecake Merengado com Amêndoa

- 1 embalagem e meia de bolacha Maria

- 75g de manteiga

- 2 embalagens de Philadelphia

- 200ml de natas frescas

- 75g de açúcar

- 3 ovos

- 1 colher de sopa de Licor Beirão

- 5 claras

- uma pitada de sal

- 5 colheres de sopa de açúcar

- uma mão cheia de amêndoa laminada

Preparar a base, reduzindo as bolachas a pó e misturando com a manteiga derretida,

Comprimir a base contra o fundo e lados de uma forma de fundo amovível e levar ao frigorífico,

Bater as natas,

Bater o queijo com o açúcar e incorporar as natas e o licor com um salazar,

Bater os ovos à parte e incorporar aos poucos na mistura,

Verter sobre a base e levar ao forno pré-aquecido a 170ºC durante cerca de 40 minutos. Não deve ficar demasiado cozinhado.

Deixar arrefecer no forno o máximo de tempo possível (o meu ficou uma noite),

Desenformar,

Preparar o merengue: bater as claras com o sal e juntar aos poucos o açúcar, batendo sempre,

Espalhar sobre a base, de preferência de  forma a que prenda à massa de bolacha dos lados,

Espalhar a amêndoa laminada por cima e levar ao forno pré-aquecido a 170ºC durante cerca de 25 min.

Almond Meringue Cheesecake

- 275g Maria biscuits (or other biscuits)

- 75g butter

- 400g Philadelphia

- 200ml heavy cream

- 75g sugar

- 3 eggs

- 1 tbsp Licor Beirão liquor

- 5 egg whites

- pinch of salt

- 5 tbsp sugar

- a handful of laminated almonds

Prepare the crust, crumbling the biscuits down to powder and mixing with the melted butter,

Press the batter against the bottom and sides of a removable bottom pan and place in the refrigerator,

Whip the cream,

In another bowl, beat cheese with sugar and fold in the cream and liquor,

Whisk the eggs and carefully mix them into the cheese,

Pour over the crust and bake at 170ºC for about 40 minutes,

Let cool for a long time in the oven, like overnight,

Remove from the baking pan,

Prepare the meringue: whisk egg whites with salt until creamy, then add sugar bit by bit until stiff,

Spread over the base, sticking it to the crust on the sides,

Sprinkle with the almond and place in the oven at 170ºC for about 25 min.