Cheesecake, Guavas and Vanilla Ice Cream
This impressive South African dessert combines several elements for a stunning presentation. A classic cheesecake with a digestive biscuit base is filled with a light, lemony cream cheese mixture. It is served with guavas poached in a spiced sugar syrup, a homemade vanilla ice cream, and a smooth guava coulis. The finished plate is garnished with a nut praline for added texture and visual appeal.
Ingredients
- For the Cheesecake Base
- 100g digestive biscuits
- 40g unsalted butter (melted)
- For the Cheesecake Filling
- 225g cream cheese
- 2 eggs separated
- 120g castor sugar
- Grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
- 15g leaf gelatine
- 150ml double thick cream
- For the Poached Guavas
- 900ml water
- 300g sugar
- 9 star anise
- 9 cardamom seeds
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 8 guavas
- For the Praline
- 100g nuts of your choice
- 100g sugar
- For the Vanilla Ice Cream
- 1L whole milk
- 120g sugar
- 12 egg yolks
- 1 vanilla pod, slit open and seeds scraped out
- 3/4L cream, half whipped
- For the Guava Coulis
- 3 guavas peeled
- 300ml water
- 180g sugar
Method
- For the cheesecake base, crush the digestive biscuits finely and combine them with the melted butter. Press this mixture into a round springform tin and refrigerate to set.
- To make the filling, beat the cream cheese with the egg yolks, 100g of the castor sugar, and the lemon rind and juice. Soak the gelatine in cold water, then warm it until dissolved and mix it into the cream cheese blend.
- Whip the double thick cream until it forms soft peaks and fold it into the cheesecake mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining 20g of castor sugar to stiff peaks, then gently fold these into the filling.
- Pour the completed cheesecake filling into the prepared springform tin. Chill the cheesecake for about 4 hours until fully set.
- For the poached guavas, combine 900ml water and 300g sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Peel 8 guavas and add them to the syrup along with 9 star anise, 9 cardamom seeds, and 3 cinnamon sticks.
- Simmer the guavas in the spiced syrup for 10 minutes. Let them cool in the liquid, then remove and cut each one in half.
- To prepare the praline, melt 100g sugar in a pan until it caramelises. Stir in 100g of your chosen nuts, then spread the mixture out to cool completely.
- Once the praline is cold and hard, break it into pieces and blend in a food processor until it forms fine crumbs. Set aside for garnishing.
- For the vanilla ice cream, bring 1L of whole milk and half of the 120g sugar to a boil. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and the seeds from the vanilla pod.
- Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, stirring continuously. Return the mixture to the heat and cook, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Cool the custard base, then churn it in an ice cream machine. When it is partially frozen, fold in the 3/4L of half-whipped cream and continue churning until it reaches the desired consistency.
- For the guava coulis, heat 300ml water with 180g sugar in a pan and boil for 8 minutes. Add 3 peeled guavas to the syrup, then transfer everything to a blender and puree until smooth.
- To assemble, pipe the guava coulis onto a plate in an 'S' shape. Place a slice of the chilled cheesecake on the plate.
- Position half a poached guava beside the cheesecake. Sprinkle a line of the crushed praline next to the coulis pattern.
- Finally, shape a quenelle of the vanilla ice cream and place it next to the poached guava on the plate.
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition data not available.
Recipe details
CategoryBiscuit
Cuisinesouth african
AuthorFood Network UK
