Coconut and raspberry set cheesecake

My default cheesecake recipe is a no-faff, no bake recipe but this set cheesecake (set with gelatine) caught my eye because of my love of coconut and raspberry.

I panicked at how runny the cheesecake was, and it certainly adds tension when you pour it over the base and wait to see if your biscuit base is water-tight enough to contain it, but the gelatine then does its work resulting in a lovely soft set, summery cheesecake.  The texture is lighter than any cheesecake I’ve had – almost a hybrid of mousse and marshmallow but with the unmistakable tang of cheesecake.

The addition of golden syrup gave an almost flapjacky vibe to the base.  I used hobnobs but any plain biscuit such as a shortbread, digestive, rich tea etc would work.  I just like the oatiness of a hobnob!

 ng coconut milk in the body of the cheesecake gives a delicate, almost perfumed whisp of coconut to the taste – I liked it very much.  It wasn’t how I’m used to coconut, which is usually desiccated coconut in a cake or biscuit – this was far more aromatic.

As I made this recipe I realised that whenever anything requires cream cheese I default to Philadelphia.  Does everybody do that or am I being unambitious?

Ingredients:

For the base:
250g biscuits – I used plain hobnobs
100g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup

For the topping:
4 leaves gelatine, immersed in a bowl of cold water
400ml double cream
400g cream cheese – I used Philadelphia
400ml coconut milk
200g icing sugar
400g raspberries – washed and dried
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut


Method:

Place either the ring from a 20cm round springform tin or an adjustable dessert ring on the plate you’ll server the cheesecake from. Wrap the ring in either clingfilm or greaseproof paper to ensure that you can free the cheesecake easily.  Alternatively, you can make this in a 30cm x 20cm traybake tin.

Break the biscuits into crumbs – either in a food processor or with the bag and rolling pin method (i.e. place biscuits in a bag. Secure end. Bash with rolling pin)

If using the food processor method add the butter and golden syrup to the crumbs and pulse it until the butter is distributed. If using the bag method, melt the butter and syrup and stir in.

Use the crumbs to line the base of the cheesecake. Press them down onto the plate but not so hard that you create biscuity concrete!  Take care to go right to the edge of the ring to make a seal – the cheesecake mix is very runny and you don’t want it to leak.

Refrigerate while making the cheesecake.

Pour 100ml of the double cream into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling.

Meanwhile, put the cream cheese, the remaining 300ml of the double cream, coconut milk and icing sugar into a bowl and beat until thick and smooth.  In truth, mine never got thicker than very lightly whipped cream – it certainly wouldn’t hold a shape.

Take the cream off the heat and, after squeezing all the water from the gelatine leaves, whisk them into the hot cream.

Tip the cream/gelatine mixture into the cream cheese mixture and whisk thoroughly – again, mine didn’t thicken all that much.

Add half the raspberries to the mix and whisk again – you want the raspberries to break down and turn the mix a light pink.

Pour the mixture over the biscuit base – pour a little at first just to make sure you have no leaks, then the rest.  NB. If you do spot a little creaminess oozing out (I did) just place some kitchen towel against the outside of the mould – the chill of the fridge will stop it pretty quickly.

Scatter the remaining raspberries over the cheesecake mix (as mine was so runny they sunk!)

Scatter the desiccated coconut over the top.

Refrigerate overnight

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.