Plum mousse cheesecake

A cheesecake made with purée of roasted Italian plums, which gives it its incredible colour and wonderfully refreshing flavour :). This plum mousse cheesecake has two layers – a white cheesecake layer baked in a water bath, topped with a tangy mousse made from purple plums and freshly squeezed orange juice. The recipe is not difficult, especially if you have already made one of the mousse cheesecakes from Moje Wypieki. You can also split the work over two days: bake the cheesecake layer and the plums the day before, then finish assembling the dessert the following day. An elegant, generous cheesecake that makes a beautiful centrepiece on the table.

Ingredients for the base:

• 160 g cocoa biscuits
• 40 g butter, melted

Place the biscuits and butter in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until the biscuits are finely crushed and the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. If you don’t have a food processor, place the biscuits in a sturdy bag (e.g. a resealable one) and crush them thoroughly with a rolling pin. Finally, combine with the melted butter.

Line the base of a 23 or 24 cm springform tin with baking paper. Tip the biscuit mixture into the tin and press it firmly and evenly over the base. Bake at 175°C for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

Wrap the outside of the tin twice with aluminium foil – the cheesecake will be baked in a water bath*.

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 500 g full-fat or semi-fat curd cheese, passed through a sieve three times
• 250 ml double cream
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons plain flour

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the cheesecake filling ingredients in the bowl of a mixer. Mix just until combined, or whisk together by hand; do not mix for too long, as you don’t want to incorporate unnecessary air into the mixture. An aerated cheesecake will rise significantly during baking and then collapse. We don’t want that – the cheesecake should be completely level after baking.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base and bake at 150°C in a water bath* for about 45 minutes. The entire surface of the cheesecake should be set and firm to the touch. If necessary, extend the baking time slightly. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Ingredients for the plum mousse:

• 650 g Italian plums (fresh or frozen)
• freshly squeezed juice of half a small orange
• 100 g sugar (or less, depending on how sweet the plums are)
• 12 g (4 teaspoons) powdered gelatine + 60 ml cold water
• 300 ml double cream, chilled

Halve and stone the plums. Arrange them in a baking dish, cut side up. Bake at 180°C for about 20–25 minutes, until soft (the plum juices will start to bubble). While still hot, blend the plums together with any juice left in the dish in a jug blender or using a hand blender, until smooth and puréed. Add the sugar and blend again. Pass through a sieve to remove the skins, stir in the orange juice and set aside.

Pour just enough water over the gelatine to cover it, stir and leave to bloom for 10 minutes. Add it to the hot plum purée (warm the purée first if necessary), mix thoroughly, leave to cool and then chill, making sure it does not set.

Place the chilled double cream in the bowl of a mixer and whip. Add the plum purée. Gently but thoroughly fold together using a spatula or whisk. Pour the plum mousse over the cooled cheesecake layer. Place in the fridge for several hours, preferably overnight. Before serving, decorate as desired, for example with crushed meringues.

The plum mousse cheesecake should be stored in the fridge.

* The cheesecake is baked in a water bath: this means placing the tin containing the cheesecake into a larger tin or ovenproof dish, then pouring in boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the tin containing the cheesecake mixture. The cheesecake is baked surrounded by steam, in a very humid environment. The steam allows the cheesecake to bake evenly throughout, including in the centre, prevents it from cracking and helps it retain a perfectly creamy texture.

Enjoy!