Monday, August 26, 2013

Lime & Pistachio Cheesecake


This morning I took part in the Red Cross "Big Cake Bake".  Basically, it's an excuse to eat cake and support a great cause!  So, I got baking, had some friends around - and it was a big success.

This was the most popular cake of the day.  I'm a bit proud of it, because I made this one up all by myself and was so happy with the result!  I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as we all did today :-)


Ingredients
250g arrowroot biscuits
1/2 cup pistachios
150g butter, melted
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
500g cream cheese, at room temperature
300g sour cream
1 large lime, zested & juiced
4 drops green food colouring (optional)

Pistachio & Lime Brittle
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice 1 small or 1/2 large lime
1/4 cup pistachios, crushed

Method
Grease a 9 inch round springform tin.

Place pistachios in a food processor and crush until fine.  Add biscuits and process until it's a fine crumb.  Add butter and mix well.

Press mixture into the base and sides of tin.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and sugar in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream and zest & juice until well combined.  Add the food colouring (if using) with the egg mixture and beat well.

Preheat oven to 140 degrees celsius, fan-forced.

When the base is firm, pour the mixture over.  Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.  The top will be firm but the cheesecake might have a bit of wobble - that's okay!

Leave in the oven to cool, or at room temperature.  Refrigerate for about 3 hours.

Meantime, make brittle:
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, salt and lime juice over high heat.   Don't stir until it starts to bubble around the edges.  Stir to make sure sugar has dissolved.  Reduce heat slightly and boil, without stirring, for about 10 minutes, until it browns and thickens slightly.

Remove from heat, stir in pistachios and pour onto a baking tray/tin lined with baking paper.  Leave to set.

Break into pieces.  Scatter brittle over the cheesecake just before serving.

No comments:

Print