As far as cheesecakes go, this one is far from traditional. It simply nods to authenticity with the biscuit base, tangy flavour and that luscious mouthfeel of cheesecake. It's also a more accessible recipe, especially for Sri Lankans as curd or yogurt is easier to source and definitely more budget friendly. Our tropical fruit of choice is pineapple, as we got a lovely juicy ripe one, but we often use other soft fruits, like ripe mango or tinned peaches.
(Serves 4-6)
For the biscuit base:
- 2 packets Marie biscuits
- ¼ cup coconut oil or melted butter
For the filling:
- 3 slices of Pineapple
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 300g Buffalo Curd or Yogurt
- 2-3 tbsp Condensed milk
- 1.5 tsp Gelatine + 3tsp Water
- 80ml Whipping cream
Garnish (optional):
Chunks of caramelized Pineapple
Fresh Passionfruit
White Chocolate chips
To make the biscuit base:
1. Put the biscuits in a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin till you get crumbs. Roll it over with the rolling pin to break up any large bits of biscuit.
2. Put this in a bowl and mix in oil or melted butter, until it resembles wet sand.
3. Spoon the crumbs into a serving dish or glasses, then flattened it with the back of a spoon.
4. Pop this in the fridge to chill slightly, while you make the filling.
To make Caramelized Pineapple:
1. Coat pineapple in a light layer of sugar.
2. Place pineapple slices on a hot pan on the stove.
3. Cook until pineapple is soft and the edges are golden brown.
4. Once this cools, puree pineapple till smooth.
To make the filling and assemble:
1. Dissolve gelatine with water over a double boiler. Make sure there are no lumps.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk curd/yogurt till smooth.
3. Add pineapple purée, condensed milk* and dissolved gelatine.
4. In another bowl, whisk cream till its fluffy, with soft peaks.
5. Gently fold the whipped cream in to the curd mixture.
6. Pour this over the biscuit base and chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
7. Garnish with chunks of caramelized pineapple and/or fresh passion fruit and white chocolate chips.
*If you are using curd, as it’s not sweet like yogurt, you can always add a bit more condensed milk for that hit of sweetness, if needed.
