A creamy pistachio cheesecake with the addition of white chocolate. Mild in flavour, perfectly sweet, with a beautiful pistachio colour and the silky texture of white chocolate. You can use ready-made 100% pistachio paste, but it’s also easy to make at home. This cheesecake is perfect both for special occasions such as Easter and for whenever you simply fancy something indulgent. It impresses from the very first bite!
Ingredients for the base:
- 160 g digestive biscuits
- 40 g butter, melted
Place the biscuits and butter in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles wet sand. If you don’t have a food processor, crush the biscuits in a sturdy bag 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 into the base and level it. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
Wrap the outside of the tin with aluminium foil – the cheesecake will be baked in a water bath*.
Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:
- 750 g full-fat or semi-fat quark/twaróg (ground three times) or cream cheese (Philadelphia-style)
- 250 g mascarpone
- 160 g caster sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 100 g white chocolate, melted
- 200 g pistachio paste (100%)
- 250 ml double cream
- 1 tablespoon potato starch (or cornflour)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
All ingredients should be at room temperature. Melt the white chocolate and allow it to cool slightly (it should remain runny).
Place all the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until just combined (using a mixer or whisk). Do not overmix, as incorporating too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise and then collapse. The finished cheesecake should have a smooth, even surface. Pour the filling onto the chilled biscuit base.
Bake the pistachio cheesecake at 160°C in a water bath* for about 70 minutes. The cheesecake should be set and slightly springy on top, especially in the centre. Allow it to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar. Then remove, run a knife around the edges, release from the tin and chill in the refrigerator for about 12 hours.
Additionally:
- 150 ml double cream, chilled
- 2 teaspoons icing sugar
- pistachios, for sprinkling
Whip the cream with the icing sugar until thick. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a decorative nozzle and pipe rosettes onto the chilled cheesecake. Sprinkle with pistachios.
*Water bath method: place the cheesecake tin into a larger tin or an ovenproof dish, then pour in boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin. The cheesecake bakes with steam, creating a very humid environment. This ensures it cooks evenly throughout, including the centre, prevents cracking after baking, and results in a perfectly smooth, creamy texture.
Enjoy!
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