I have always been a bit suspicious of the cheesecake. I like cheese and I like cake, but bring the two together and you get something that doesn't really resemble either very much.
But then again, cheesecake is the perfect cake for someone who isn't a great lover of the usual variety. It's rich, but has a fresh quality about it, brought by the cheese, and you can easily cut through the richness and sweetness of the filling with a fruity topping.
This is what I've done here. This cheesecake recipe cake came about one year when my dad asked me to make one for his birthday and requested a cheesecake that was "a bit different".
After I repeatedly watched a remix of Masterchef clips about cheesecake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfeyUGZt8nk), I got down to work on this recipe, adding some tropical flavours for a classic baked cheesecake with a twist.
The first time I made this cheesecake I had a few hiccups along the way but this time I like to think I had learnt from these mistakes and it went off with barely a hiccup.
I took the cheesecake along to a picnic, where it was greatly appreciated.
You will need:
For the cheesy bit:
900g full fat cream cheese
115g soured cream
2 eggs
115g caster sugar )
grated rind of one lime
½ tsp vanilla extract
For the cheesy bit:
900g full fat cream cheese
115g soured cream
2 eggs
115g caster sugar )
grated rind of one lime
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp cornflour
For the base:
250g ginger biscuits (I used ginger nuts)
7. While the cheesecake is chilling (getting cold, that is, not relaxing with a G&T), peel and stone the mangoes, blend in a processor and then force through a sieve with a spoon into a small pan. Be persistent - it may seem like you won't get much mango through, but keep at it and you should be able to get it all but a lump small enough to fit in a tablespoon through. Make sure you scrape any remaining mango puree off the bottom of the sieve.
8. Add the lime juice and agar agar to the mango puree and heat. stirring regularly until it starts to spit and bubble. Take the mixture off the heat and pour it gradually on top of your cheesecake, spreading it all over the surface of the cheesecake as you do so. If the cheesecake has not cracked, you may not need to use all the coulis, so set aside the rest in a jug for pouring. If it has cracked, you may want to pour extra in the middle, to hide the cracks. If you keep the cheesecake horizontal this should not be a problem, as the cheesecake should be slightly bowed in the middle.
8. Refrigerate the cheesecake until serving. Do NOT, as I once did, tilt it whilst looking for space in the fridge, as you will tip mango coulis off the side. Clear a space in the fridge, leave the door open and then and only then go and get your cheesecake and place it carefully in the fridge. Treat it like a baby or housepet, that, for some inexplicable reason, needs to be refrigerated.
For the base:
250g ginger biscuits (I used ginger nuts)
150g melted butter
For the coulis:
2 ripe mangoes
1 tsp agar agar
juice of half a lime
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 24cm spring form cake tin. Crush your ginger nuts (alright, stop giggling).
For the coulis:
2 ripe mangoes
1 tsp agar agar
juice of half a lime
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 24cm spring form cake tin. Crush your ginger nuts (alright, stop giggling).
2. Mix the ginger nuts with the melted butter and press them into the base of the cake tin. Bake for ten minutes then place on a wire rack to cool.
3. Turn the oven up to 200C. Mix together the cornflour and caster sugar in a bowl.
4. Add the cream cheese and beat until fully combined. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and lime rind and beat again.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is slightly browned and the filling is set round the edges. Then turn the oven off and stand cake for as long as possible while the oven cools. Do NOT open the oven door, even for a cheeky peek. This stops the cheesecake from cracking too much on top.
6. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and put in the fridge to set properly.
7. While the cheesecake is chilling (getting cold, that is, not relaxing with a G&T), peel and stone the mangoes, blend in a processor and then force through a sieve with a spoon into a small pan. Be persistent - it may seem like you won't get much mango through, but keep at it and you should be able to get it all but a lump small enough to fit in a tablespoon through. Make sure you scrape any remaining mango puree off the bottom of the sieve.
8. Add the lime juice and agar agar to the mango puree and heat. stirring regularly until it starts to spit and bubble. Take the mixture off the heat and pour it gradually on top of your cheesecake, spreading it all over the surface of the cheesecake as you do so. If the cheesecake has not cracked, you may not need to use all the coulis, so set aside the rest in a jug for pouring. If it has cracked, you may want to pour extra in the middle, to hide the cracks. If you keep the cheesecake horizontal this should not be a problem, as the cheesecake should be slightly bowed in the middle.
8. Refrigerate the cheesecake until serving. Do NOT, as I once did, tilt it whilst looking for space in the fridge, as you will tip mango coulis off the side. Clear a space in the fridge, leave the door open and then and only then go and get your cheesecake and place it carefully in the fridge. Treat it like a baby or housepet, that, for some inexplicable reason, needs to be refrigerated.
There you go, a beautiful, fruity cheesecake.
Happy baking!
Ellie
xxx
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