BUTTERMILK CHEESECAKE WITH GRANADILLA TOPPING

AvatarCaxton magazines staffBakingRecipes
Food blogger Jane-Anne Hobbs, author of the cookbook ‘Scrumptious: Food for Family and Friends’ (Struik Lifestyle), is passionate about heart-warming, home-cooked dishes that combine the latest culinary trends with a generous pinch of nostalgia

INGREDIENTS

For the crust: 

  • 200g Eet-Sum-Mor biscuits
  • 100g unsalted butter, very soft

For the filling:

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 4t powdered gelatine
  • 1 x 250g tub cream cheese
  • 1 cup cultured buttermilk
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1t vanilla extract
  • zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
  • 1 cup cream

For the topping: 

  • 1t powdered gelatine
  • 2T water
  • 1 cup granadilla pulp
  • a little lemon juice and caster sugar, to taste

METHOD

1. To make the crust: oil the base of a non-stick 24cm-springform cake tin, cover it with clingfilm and oil again; tuck the edges of the clingfilm under the base and place it in its ring. Whizz the biscuits up to fine crumbs in a food processor and stir in the soft butter; then press this mixture evenly onto the base of the tin.
2. To make the filling: place the water in a small teacup and sprinkle the gelatine over it; set aside for a minute to ‘sponge’. Place the teacup in a pan of simmering water (the hot water should come halfway up the sides of the teacup) and stir occasionally as the gelatine melts. When the gelatine mixture is clear, remove the teacup and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
3. Combine the cream cheese and half the buttermilk in a large bowl, and using a whisk, beat until quite smooth. Beat in the remaining buttermilk, caster sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to a thick soft peak. Gently fold the cream into the buttermilk mixture along with the strained warm gelatine.
5. Pour the filling over the crumb crust and refrigerate for 2–3 hours or until firm.
6. For the topping: ‘sponge’ and melt the gelatine and water as described previously. Strain the gelatine and mix with the granadilla pulp, adding lemon juice and caster sugar to taste. Stir well then pour evenly over the top of the cake. Chill until set, then release the cake from the tin. Slice the cake using a knife dipped in hot water.

Cook’s note: To make it easier to get the cake out of the springform tin, warm the sides of the tin with a hot damp cloth (heated in the microwave). Slide a palette knife between the crust and the clingfilm, turning the cake and gently levering as you go, then slide the cake onto a platter.

This recipe serves 8.