Recipe for Mami’s Cheesecake from Cookbook Arthurs: Home of the Nosh

This rich, velvety cheesecake—layered over a marbled sponge base and topped with tangy raspberry coulis—is a beloved family recipe straight from the pages of Arthurs: Home of the Nosh. Known as Mami’s Cheesecake, it’s a showstopping dessert that embodies the heartfelt, over-the-top spirit of Montreal’s Arthurs Nosh Bar.

Mami’s Cheesecake

Makes 1 (10-inch) cheesecake

Ingredients:

Marble Sponge Base

• 43 g (3 tablespoons) butter
• 70 g (½ cup) cake flour
• 4 g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• 2 g (½ teaspoon) salt
• 3 eggs, yolks + whites separated, at room temperature
• 67 g (1/3 cup) + 20 g (1½ tablespoons) granulated sugar
• 8 g (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
• Pinch (1/8 teaspoon) cream of tartar
• 6 g (1 tablespoon) cocoa powder

Simple Syrup Soak

• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 60 g (¼ cup) water

Cheesecake

• 750 g (31/3 cups or 3 blocks) cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia), at room temperature
• 230 g (1 cup) mascarpone, at room temperature
• 300 g (1½ cups) granulated sugar
• 3 eggs + 5 egg yolks
• 3 g (¾ teaspoon) salt
• 240 g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) 14% sour cream, at room temperature
• 120 g (½ cup) heavy cream, at room temperature
• 8 g (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
• 47 g (1/3 cup) flour

Raspberry Coulis

• 375 g (3 cups) fresh or frozen raspberries
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 13 g (4 teaspoons) cornstarch
• 20 g (11/3 tablespoons) water
• 4 g (1 teaspoon) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 g (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract

For Serving

• Whipped Cream

Directions:

Make the Marble Sponge Base

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and line the base and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Set aside to cool slightly. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg yolks on high for 2 minutes, until pale and increased in volume. With the mixer running on low, gradually add 67 g (1/3 cup) of the sugar. Add the vanilla. Continue whisking on high until ribbon stage is achieved, about 4 minutes (when you lift the whisk, the mixture should fall down in thick “ribbons” and linger on the surface for a few moments before disappearing).
4. Using a large spatula, fold the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture until no streaks remain. Stir in the melted butter until fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a new bowl.
5. Thoroughly clean the stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment. (Any residual fat will interfere with the next step.) In the cleaned bowl, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on high until soft peaks form. With the mixer running on low, add the remaining 20 g (1½ tablespoons) sugar. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overwhip.
6. Using a large spatula, fold a portion of the whites into the batter to lighten it. Gently fold in the rest until no streaks remain.
7. Transfer 75 g (about 1/3 cup) of the batter to a small mixing bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder. Pour the remaining vanilla batter into the springform pan and spread evenly. Spoon the chocolate batter on top sporadically. Using a toothpick or the tip of a knife, swirl the batters together to create a marble pattern.
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out nearly clean with a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake!

Make the Simple Syrup Soak

1. While the cake is baking, make the simple syrup. In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat.
2. Once the cake is out of the oven, poke a few holes on its surface with a toothpick or paring knife. Brush the simple syrup evenly on top. Set aside on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Make the Cheesecake

1. Raise the oven temperature to 400°F.
2. In a 14-cup (3 L) capacity food processor (work in two batches if using a smaller size), blitz the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, eggs, egg yolks,1 and salt until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla and blitz until homogeneous. Add the flour and pulse three times. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. Pour the batter into the pan on top of the sponge base. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the top is dark brown and the center is slightly jiggly. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate. The cheesecake can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge.

Make the Raspberry Coulis

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils, thickens, and is no longer cloudy. Remove from the heat, then stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Let cool before using.

Serve

1. Spread the whipped cream over the cheesecake and smooth with an offset spatula. Serve with a spoonful of Raspberry Coulis on top of each slice.

Note: To ensure you get no weird clumpy egg bits in the cake, whisk the eggs through a fine-mesh strainer before adding them.

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Arthurs: Home of the Nosh is the upcoming debut cookbook from Raegan Steinberg, Alexandre Cohen, and Evelyne Eng, hitting shelves on May 6, 2025, from Appetite by Random House. This vibrant, personality-packed collection brings the beloved Jewish comfort food of Montreal’s Arthurs Nosh Bar into home kitchens, with standout brunches, deli favourites, and Shabbat dishes inspired by the co-owners’ family roots and restaurant classics. With playful design, stunning photography by Karolina Jez, and unfiltered stories from the authors, it’s a joyful celebration of food, family, and noshing.