Passion fruit cheesecake

A truly spectacular cheesecake made with fresh passion fruit pulp. With its striking black, white and golden-yellow layers, it looks as impressive as it tastes :). The sweet-tart flavour of passion fruit brings a refreshing, tropical twist to the rich, creamy cheesecake. It’s the kind of dessert you’ll never tire of!

Ingredients for the base:

• 250 g Oreo biscuits, filling removed (or cocoa butter biscuits)
• 60 g butter, melted

Place the biscuits and melted butter into a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles damp sand. Alternatively, place the biscuits in a sturdy food bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin, then mix with the melted butter.

Line the base of a 23 cm springform tin with baking paper. Press the biscuit mixture firmly over the base and halfway up the sides of the tin. Chill in the fridge while preparing the cheesecake filling.

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

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 1 kg full-fat or medium-fat curd cheese, ground three times
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tin (about 400 g) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 tablespoon plain flour

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the filling ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix (or stir by hand) just until combined. Do not overmix, as incorporating too much air may cause the cheesecake to crack. Pour the filling over the chilled biscuit base.

Bake at 160°C in a water bath* for about 60 minutes, or longer if needed. The cheesecake is ready when it is set across the surface and only slightly wobbly in the centre when gently tapped. Leave to cool completely in the oven, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Pour the thickening passion fruit glaze over the chilled cheesecake and spread it evenly over the surface. Chill briefly until the glaze has set before serving.

Ingredients for the passion fruit glaze:

• 125 ml (½ cup) passion fruit pulp (from about 6 small or 3–4 large passion fruits)
• 1 teaspoon (3 g) powdered gelatine
• 15 ml cold water

Sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water and leave to bloom. Heat the passion fruit pulp in a small saucepan until almost boiling, then remove from the heat. Add the bloomed gelatine and stir until completely dissolved. Leave to cool, then chill briefly until the glaze begins to thicken.

*How to Bake a Cheesecake in a Water Bath

Place the wrapped springform tin inside a larger baking tin or ovenproof dish. Pour boiling water into the outer dish until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin. The steam created during baking keeps the oven humid, allowing the cheesecake to bake evenly all the way through, including the centre. It also helps prevent cracks and gives the cheesecake an exceptionally smooth and creamy texture.

Enjoy!