Dubai-style pistachio cheesecake with kataifi and chocolate

Dubai-style pistachio cheesecake with kataifi pastry and chocolate ganache, inspired by Dubai chocolate. This is the second bake in my “Dubai” series, following my Dubai-style chocolate tart. A cheesecake with a chocolate biscuit base, a deliciously creamy pistachio cheesecake filling, a layer of crisp kataifi pastry mixed with even more pistachio cream, and a milk chocolate ganache topping. It tastes like a million dollars ;).

Ingredients for the biscuit base:

• 160 g chocolate digestive biscuits or other chocolate-coated wholegrain biscuits
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 50 g unsalted pistachios, shelled
• 55 g butter, melted

Place the biscuits, pistachios, cocoa powder and melted butter in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles wet sand. Do not over-process, as the pistachios may turn into a paste, resulting in a very greasy base. If you don’t have a food processor, place the biscuits in a sturdy bag (such as a resealable bag) and crush them thoroughly with a rolling pin or a meat mallet. Combine with the melted butter, cocoa powder and finely ground pistachios.

Line the base of a 22 cm springform tin with baking paper. Tip in the biscuit mixture, spread evenly and press firmly into the base of the tin.

Bake at 180°C for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. 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 curd cheese, finely ground three times
• 100 g pistachio paste*
• 100 g sour cream
• 100 ml double cream
• 3 large eggs
• 200 g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp potato starch

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the cheesecake filling ingredients, except the double cream, in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix just until combined, or stir together with a hand whisk. Do not overmix, as incorporating too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise excessively and then sink. The finished cheesecake should remain level. Add the double cream and mix briefly until combined. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base and smooth the surface.

Bake the pistachio cheesecake at 150°, in a water bath** for about 60–70 minutes. The entire surface should be set and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the switched-off oven with the door slightly ajar, then refrigerate for about 12 hours.

Ingredients for the pistachio and kataifi topping:

• 60 g butter
• 250 g kataifi pastry
• 320 g pistachio cream (you can also use sweetened pistachio paste, or 100% pistachio paste sweetened to taste)
• 50 g tahini
• a pinch of salt

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Cut the kataifi pastry into smaller pieces, add to the butter and fry, separating the strands as you go, until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.

Place the toasted kataifi pastry in a bowl. Add the pistachio cream (if it is too firm, warm it briefly by placing the jar in hot water and stir), tahini and salt. Gently mix until combined.

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache:

• 110 ml double cream
• 135 g milk chocolate, finely chopped
• 50 g plain or dark chocolate (50–70% cocoa solids), finely chopped

Heat the double cream in a small saucepan until almost boiling. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and leave for 2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the ganache is completely smooth. If necessary, pass it through a sieve. Leave to cool slightly, but it should remain pourable.

Assembly:

Spread the pistachio and kataifi topping over the chilled cheesecake and smooth the surface. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top and spread evenly. Decorate as desired, then refrigerate for several hours. The chocolate ganache needs to cool completely and set.

Store the Dubai-style pistachio cheesecake in the fridge.

* Pistachio paste (pistachio butter) is a product made from 100% ground pistachios, with no other ingredients added. It has the consistency of natural nut butter and an intensely pistachio aroma. It is a completely natural product. This is different from pistachio cream, which is sweet and contains various other ingredients, including sugar, and has a consistency similar to Nutella. You can use pistachio cream in my other recipes. A good-quality pistachio paste will give this cheesecake a wonderful, intense pistachio flavour.

** Baking in a water bath: Place the tin containing the cheesecake inside a larger baking tin or roasting dish. Pour in boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin. The cheesecake is therefore baked surrounded by steam and high humidity. This allows it to bake evenly throughout, including in the centre, prevents cracking and gives it a wonderfully smooth, creamy texture.

Enjoy!