Pineapple and coconut cheesecake

Pineapple and coconut cheesecake is a lightly tropical cheesecake in wonderfully sunny colours :). It has juicy pieces of pineapple and a delicious coconut crumble, both underneath and on top of the cheesecake filling. Light and refreshing, it’s just right for spring!

Ingredients for the coconut crumble:

• 150 g plain flour
• 125 g cold butter, cubed
• 90 g caster sugar
• 90 g desiccated coconut
• 2 egg yolks from large eggs
• a pinch of salt

Place the flour, sugar, desiccated coconut and salt in a bowl and mix. Add the cold butter and egg yolks and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 500 g full-fat or semi-fat curd cheese, finely ground three times
• 250 g mascarpone
• 170 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 8 g vanillin sugar
• 1½ tbsp potato starch

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 stir with a balloon whisk. Do not over-mix, as incorporating too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise significantly and then collapse. We want the cheesecake to remain level after baking.

Additionally:

• 400 g canned pineapple (you will need almost 2 cans with a total weight of 400 g each)

Drain the pineapple thoroughly; you won’t need the syrup. Cut the pineapple into approximately 2 cm cubes.

Method:

Line the base of a 23 cm springform tin with baking paper.

Spread half of the coconut crumble evenly over the base of the tin. Pre-bake at 180°C for 15–18 minutes, or until lightly golden. Pour the cheesecake filling over the pre-baked crumble and smooth the surface. Arrange the pineapple pieces over the filling, close together. Sprinkle the remaining coconut crumble evenly over the top.

Bake the pineapple and coconut cheesecake at 170°C for about 50 minutes until the crumble on top is golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

This cheesecake keeps very well at room temperature.

Enjoy!