MANGO CHEESECAKE WITH BURNT HONEY & PASSION FRUIT
RECIPE LUCY BUSUTTIL PHOTOGRAPH BRETT STEVENS FOOD STYLING KIRSTEN JENKINS
With this baked beauty you get a double hit of sublime tropical flavours: a light, fluffy mango filling and a passion fruit drizzle on top. Make it ahead, add the sophisticated-yet-easy topping at the last minute, then sit back and enjoy the praise
The recipe
SERVES 16. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN,
OVEN TIME 1 HOUR 30 MIN, PLUS AT LEAST
2 HOURS COOLING AND 4 HOURS CHILLING
MAKE AHEAD
You need to start the recipe at least 6 hours ahead or, ideally, the day before – the cheesecake needs to be well chilled before you add the topping so it doesn’t sink in the middle. You can make the topping a few hours ahead (keep at room temperature), then spoon it over just before serving.
FOOD TEAM’S TIP
Liquid glucose is a clear syrup found in the baking aisle of large supermarkets; it doesn’t crystallise when heated. You’ll have topping left over. Keep chilled and use to drizzle over frozen yogurt or ice cream.
• 180g white chocolate
• 500g Hobnobs or other oat biscuits
• 200g unsalted butter, melted and cooled for a few minutes
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, flesh sliced away from the stone and cut into rough chunks
• 750g full-fat cream cheese (we used Philadelphia) at room temperature
• 110g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 3 large free-range eggs
• 125ml single cream
• Finely grated zest 1 orange
FOR THE TOPPING (SEE MAKE AHEAD)
• 180g runny honey
• 60g liquid glucose (see tip)
• 8 ripe passion fruit, halved and pulp scooped out with a teaspoon
• 180ml orange juice
YOU’LL ALSO NEED…
• 23cm round deep loose-bottomed cake tin, well greased; food processor (or stick blender and electric mixer)
1 Heat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/ gas 3½. Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) and leave to melt. Set aside to cool.
2 Put the biscuits in a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Add the butter, ginger and mixed spice, then pulse until combined. (Alternatively, crush the biscuits in a food bag using a rolling pin, then put in a bowl and mix in the butter and spices.) Firmly press the mixture over the base and up the sides of the prepared tin, then chill until needed.
3 Clean the food processor, then add the mango flesh and whizz to a purée (or use a stick blender). Scrape into a bowl and set aside. Rinse out the processor, then whizz the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, cornflour and eggs, then whizz again until combined. Add the mango purée, melted chocolate, cream and orange zest, then whizz again to combine. (If you don’t have a food processor you can use a stand mixer or hand mixer for this step.) Pour the cheesecake mixture over the firmed-up biscuit base and level the top.
4 Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until set at the edges with a gentle wobble in the centre. Turn off the oven with the door slightly ajar, then leave the cheesecake to cool completely in the oven (this will take at least 2 hours). Once the cheesecake has cooled, chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight) until it’s set and feels firm – see Make Ahead.
5 For the burnt honey and passion fruit topping, put the honey and glucose in a saucepan over a high heat, then bring to the boil. Cook for 4 minutes or until the mixture darkens. Stir in the passion fruit and orange juice, then return to the boil. Cook, stirring regularly, for 10-12 minutes until reduced and sticky, using a spoon to skim away any bubbles. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and leave the topping to stand until completely cooled.
6 To serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin, then put on a serving plate. Pour some cooled topping over the chilled cheesecake, then serve the rest alongside.
PER SERVING 529kcals, 33.8g fat (18.6g saturated), 8g protein, 46.6g carbs (31.8g sugars), 0.7g salt, 3.5g fibre