Double pistachio cheesecake

A double pistachio cheesecake — with a pistachio cheesecake filling and a delicious pistachio glaze. This cheesecake is wonderfully creamy, smooth and luscious in texture. The finishing touch is the pistachio topping made with natural 100% pistachio paste. An irresistible cheesecake for pistachio lovers!

Note: if you only have sweet pistachio cream, you can use it instead of pistachio paste by reducing the amount of sugar in the cheesecake filling. You can also simply spread pistachio cream from a jar over the top of the cheesecake.

Ingredients for the base:

• 160 g digestive biscuits (with or without chocolate)
• 50 g unsalted pistachios, shelled
• 55 g butter, melted

Place the biscuits, pistachios and melted butter into a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles wet sand. If you do not have a food processor, place the biscuits in a sturdy bag (such as a zip-lock bag) and crush them thoroughly with a rolling pin. Mix with the melted butter and finely ground pistachios.

Line a 21–22 cm springform tin with baking parchment. Press the biscuit mixture firmly into the base and about one-third up the sides of the tin.

Bake at 180°C for about 8 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool while preparing 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 pistachio cheesecake filling:

• 500 g full-fat or semi-fat twaróg cheese, ground three times
• 100 g pistachio paste*
• 100 g sour cream
• 100 ml double cream
• 3 large eggs
• 180 g caster sugar
• ½ tsp pistachio flavouring or a few drops of almond extract (optional)
• 1 tbsp plain flour

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the cheesecake filling ingredients into the bowl of a mixer. Mix only until combined, or whisk by hand. Do not overmix, as incorporating too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise excessively and then sink after baking. We do not want that — the cheesecake should remain perfectly level after baking. Pour the cheesecake filling onto the prepared biscuit base and smooth the top.

Bake the pistachio cheesecake at 160°C in a water bath** for about 60 minutes. The entire surface of the cheesecake should be set and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar, then chill in the fridge for about 12 hours. Once chilled, decorate with the pistachio glaze.

Ingredients for the pistachio glaze:

• 50 g pistachio paste*
• 80–100 ml double cream, chilled
• 2 tsp icing sugar

Place the pistachio paste and icing sugar into a bowl. Gradually add the double cream, starting with the smaller amount, mixing with a spoon or whisk until a smooth glaze forms. Adjust the consistency if needed by adding more pistachio paste or cream. Mix with chopped pistachios or sprinkle them over the glaze afterwards.

* Pistachio paste (pistachio butter) is made from 100% ground pistachios with no additional ingredients. It has a consistency similar to natural peanut butter and an intense pistachio aroma. It is completely natural. This is different from pistachio cream, which is sweetened, contains additional ingredients including sugar, and has a texture similar to chocolate hazelnut spread. A good-quality pistachio paste gives the cheesecake its deep pistachio flavour.

** Baking in a water bath: place the cheesecake tin into a larger baking dish or roasting tin filled with boiling water reaching halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin. The cheesecake bakes surrounded by steam and high humidity, allowing it to bake evenly throughout, including the centre. This helps prevent cracking and gives the cheesecake its perfectly creamy texture.

Enjoy!