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You know what it’s like when you have one of those yearnings? You get this notion fixed in your head and it wont go away? It might be a place to visit or maybe a cup of coffee from a particular cafe the other end of the country. It might be a very specific spot with breathtaking scenery or it might be a plate of bacon and eggs from that hotel you stayed at three years ago in New York. And it plants this seed of want in your brain that keeps bubbling up to the surface and you just know you won’t be satisfied until you do something about it. You know, in fact, that you will never be happy again until this itch is scratched.
I fancy a London Cheesecake. And the big problem there is that the last time I actually saw a London Cheesecake must be going on for 10 years. And that raises the question – what the hell has happened to the London Cheesecake? Why don’t they get made any more? It’s true that most of the small, independent bakers have been squeezed out by the giant supermarkets but there are still a few around.
Or is it just that I am the last person on this island with this craving that will not go away?
Clearly the answer is to make your own.
Good try but that is not a London Cheesecake! That’s some sort of proper cheesecake that has misappropriated the name to sound posh. Probably to try and compete with a New York cheesecake – a battle it can only lose because, as everyone knows, a proper decent New York cheesecake is one of life’s perfect things.
A ‘London Cheesecake’ is nothing so fancy. It is a sort of flaky type pastry made in a square, layered about an inch high (about 2 and half centimetres to you) stuffed inside with some sort of unidentifiable goo that definitely includes jam of some variety (but probably strawberry), topped off with a thin skin of water icing upon which is layered shredded coconut – or, that might just be stuff that looks and tastes like coconut.
Yummy.
[...] arrived bearing a precious gift. Having seen my piece bemoaning the apparent disappearance of the London Cheesecake, she did that sort of thing that real friends do. She scoured the baker shops around her home until [...]
You can get a proper pastry/icing/coconut London Cheesecake from Broadway Cafe (SW1) and also in Gregs bakery (also SW1).
I’m starting to think that this is the key… you can only get them in London! next time I’m down that way I’ll hunt them out thanks.
…were on sale at Greggs in Andover, Hampshire yesterday Sunday 16th December, 2007.
Being the first time I have seen this product for sale so far outside my original home in Essex I bought the lot – okay, only the last 4 then
So few people know about London Cheesecake – even Nigella mis-uses the name.
Ah! Another fan… Lucky man.
could some one please let me know where i can get a reciepe 2 make ‘london cheesecake’. its not a actual cheesecake but made with pastry sort like an apple turnover the best way to decribe them . As my partner keeps on asking me to find a recipe to make them.
See this post:
http://www.yellowswordfish.com/672/friends/
in the comments….
hi, i can only but them from greggs when i visit my sister in erith, and as i live in northampton its a bit of a trek just so i can buy some. as they are not around at all up here.
So i too am looking for a recipe!
Growing up in East London, there wasn’t a bakers that didn’t sell London Cheesecakes!
Now I moved to Milton Keynes, I have experienced a similar problem until I found a Greggs in Bletchley which did sell these little wonders!
Now all I need to do is find a place outside of Walthamstow that does Granny Rings…
@Natalie: Lucky you!
I was born and bought up a stones throw from Walthamstow but you’ve got me stumped on ‘Granny Rings’…
You can get the best London cheescakes at the Nags Head – Holloway Road, North London
@Jan: Wow. Thanks for the info. Noted in case I am in the area…
You can get them in Aldi Supermarkets.
@BT: Interesting. I will be passing one of those probably later in the week. Will most definitely stop and take a look. Thanks
Hello,
Found this page via a random search for LC, and have to say I’ve found a few around here at various Greggs stores!
I’ve added a link to this site in my blogroll, please feel free to have a look at the random stuff on my blog!
Suzy Scotts last blog post..Earlier this week
WELL BEST TO MAKE IT YOURSELF.. EASY VERY EASY., BUY READY ROLLED FLAKY PASTRY ..UNROLL.. CUT OUT SAY 3″ SQUARES OR WHATEVER SIZE YOU LIKE.. BAKE AT RECOMMENDED TEMPERATURE.. CAREFULLY LIFT OF BAKING SHEET.. WHEN COOL PUT A GOOD TEASPOONFUL(OR MORE)IF YOU LIKE., OF I THINK RASPBERRY JAM (I USE SEEDLESS) ON ONE PIECE.. SANDWICH TWO PIECES TOGETHER.. MAKE ICING(NOT TOO WATERY). AND SPRINKLE WITH SHREDDED COCONUT.. DELICIOUS AND REALLY EASY TO MAKE..
@CAROLYN DANIELS: Thanks. It should really be frangipane inside but it can. of course, be whatever takes your fancy.
The problem is locating supplies of threaded coconut (as it should be threaded not shredded). I have searched high and low and am still unable to locate a supply…
I bought some yesterday in ALDI, Cambridge.
@Malcolm: Oh no. They are a travesty! Here’s a link to Aldi Cheescakes….
They are nothing like the real thing I’m afraid. I took one bite and had to spit it out again!