Fruit Salad Cheesecake
Cheesecake Salad
Ingredients
Base:
100g Digestive biscuits
1/3 cup natural almonds
1 tsp finely grated Dole ginger
50g butter, melted
Banana cheesecake filling:
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
2 medium sliced ripe Dole bananas, mashed
1 large egg
Grape cream topping:
2 tsp gelatine powder
2 tbsp milk
1 bunch Dole grapes, picked off the stem
½ cup white sugar
¾ cup cold water
1 cup cream, whipped
To decorate:
1 bunch Dole grapes, picked off the stem
Method
1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides of the tin.
2. Place biscuits and almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Process to form fine crumbs. Add ginger and pour in melted butter, then pulse to combine. Firmly press crumb mixture into the base of prepared tin. Chill while making the filling.
3. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Be sure to use low speed, as this will reduce the amount of air added to the batter, which can cause the cheesecake to crack. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in vanilla, sour cream and mashed banana. Add egg beating just enough to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
4. Pour mixture over prepared crumb base and smooth the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until filling is just set but still a little wobbly in the centre (it will set fully once cold). Remove from the oven to cool completely in the tin then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. While the cheesecake finishes chilling, make the grape cream. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin onto the milk and set aside. Place grapes, sugar and water into a pot. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until grapes are tender and liquid is reduced and syrupy. Sieve the mixture, discarding the grape pulp and reserving the liquid. Measure the grape liquid – you will need ½ cup.
6. Return grape syrup to the pan and gently warm. Add the gelatin mixture to the hot grape syrup and stir until dissolved. Transfer liquid to a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled grape mixture. Pour the grape cream evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
7. Wash and dry the grapes on paper towels. Arrange grapes on top of the cake, to cover. Refrigerate cheesecake until completely cold and firm (5-6 hours).
8. To remove, run a small sharp knife around the inside edge of the tin to release cheesecake. Transfer to a serving plate. Slice with a hot knife, wiping the knife between cuts. Cheesecake must be stored in the fridge. Best eaten within 2-3 days.