Yogurt Cheesecake
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
For base
- 150g/5 ozs butter cookies
- 50g/1.7 ozs walnuts
- 50g/1.7 ozs melted butter
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (not caster or superfine)
For cheesecake topping
- 1/2 jar Woolworths Gold Summer Berries and Elderflower jam
- 500g/1 lb. natural yogurt
- 250g/0.5 lb. reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup caster or superfine sugar (you can use 1/2 cup if you like it sweeter but I like to emphasise the tartness of the yogurt)
- 4 teaspoons gelatin powder
- 1/2 cup cold water
Step 1 - Line a 8x8 inch/20x20cm square baking tin with parchment paper. Place the cookies and walnuts in a food processor and whiz until you get fine breadcrumbs. Add the melted butter and sugar and process briefly until it comes together. Empty into the prepared tin and press down to make an even layer of breadcrumbs. Store in fridge until needed.
Step 2 - Sieve the jam to separate the liquid sauce from the fruit-do not discard the fruit. Place the liquid sauce in a ziplock bag or piping bag fitting with a very small plain nozzle. Set aside with the nozzle sitting up so that the sauce doesn't spill out.
Step 3 - In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a beater attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the yogurt and sugar and beat until combined.
Step 4 - Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the bowl of cold water in a microwave proof bowl. Heat for 30 seconds on 50% power and then check to see if it is clear and not cloudy. Mine needed an extra 20 seconds on 50% power to turn clear. Cool for a few minutes.
Step 5 - While the gelatin is cooling, spread the reserved fruit from the jam along the base of cookie crumbs. Add some more jam if needed.
Step 5 - Add the gelatin mixture to the yogurt mixture and beat on low speed until combined-it doesn't take long. Pour the yogurt cheese mixture over the jam covered cookie base.
Step 6 - Snip the corner of the zip lock bag-just a little is ideal as you just want to draw vertical lines using the strawberry jam sauce. Taking a skewer, chopstick or a knife, draw lines horizontally or the opposite way going back and forth. Carefully carry to the fridge and refrigerate for at least two hours. Cut into slices and serve as is or with extra jam if you prefer it sweeter.