Here’s a very tasty and slightly “different” baked cheesecake. No digestives needed for this one; instead it has a coconut-crumble base and topping. Using a selection of cheeses and fruits adds up to a very interesting, very scrumptious cheesecake.
Serves: 12 – 15
Level: A step up from easy, but not too difficult; needs a bit of care.
Time: About 2 hours + cooling
Need: 23cm/9” round, loose bottomed tin
Base & Topping Ingredients
- 125g/4oz cold butter, diced – or use cold blobs of softened buttery spread
- 375g/13fl oz plain flour (+ ½ tsp xanthan gum powder if using gluten free flour, which I did on this occasion.)
- 100g/3½oz desiccated coconut
- 60g/2oz golden caster sugar
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- Zest of half a lemon (more if you want)
- ½ tsp cold lemon juice
Filling & Decorating Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 115g/4oz honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 420g/15oz various cheeses*
- 115g/4oz soured cream
- 175g/6oz berries (I used 125g blackberries and 50g raspberries)
- About a Tbsp demerara sugar to sprinkle on top prior to baking (optional)
- A few more berries to decorate the top, once baked
- Icing sugar to dust (also optional)
* I used 150g cottage cheese (sieved), 150g Ricotta and 120g full fat cream cheese. I’d like my next version to be slightly denser, so I’ll increase the amount of cream cheese or use mascarpone and reduce the cottage cheese. Quark may also be OK, but I decided to leave it out this time.
Method
1. Butter and line the base and sides of the tin. (NB Don’t turn the oven on yet, it’ll waste gas or electricity. I’ll let you know when, a bit later.)
2. In a large bowl mix the flour, desiccated coconut, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest & juice.
3. Add the diced butter and rub in to form a crumbly dough. Put the bowl of dough in fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Make the filling. Beat together the eggs, honey and vanilla extract until thick and creamy.
Now is a good time to turn the oven on – 200C / Fan 180C / 400F / Gas 6.
5. In another bowl, mix the cheeses together until smooth. (It’s worth sieving cottage cheese.) Combine with the egg mixture then stir in the soured cream.
6. Press three-quarters of the dough into the cake tin, edging it up the sides. (Use a tin or jar to press it in firmly.) Pour in the filling mixture and add the berries.
7. Carefully, spread the remaining dough on top, then sprinkle with demerara sugar (if using).
8. Bake for about 45 – 60 minutes*. Leave in the tin until cool. To serve, place the extra berries on top and dust with icing sugar.
*Sorry I can’t be more specific than this for the timing. I use “bake even” bands, which tends to lengthen the baking time. Also, I rarely bake my recipes over and over to refine them as there are so many other things to bake and I’m getting on a bit. I appreciate feedback from wonderful people like you.
I hope you enjoy this cheesecake. If you want to see more cheesecake recipes click here.
Below are some of my favourites that I’d love you to try too:
Chocolate and Orange Cheesecake
White Chocolate and Blueberry Cheesecake
Please have a look at my site for lots of other recipes, sweet and savoury. If you’d like to comment or ask a question, that’s great. Just go to the contact page.
Retired Bloke on Food n stuff 