This coffee cheesecake is silky smooth, with an inviting sweet crunch from the crispy phyllo. 

Espresso cheesecake with phyllo crinkle

Serves 10-12 

Ingredients

200g chocolate Romany Creams
⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp (110g) melted butter
3 Tbsp (45ml) boiling water
3 Tbsp (45ml) instant coffee
2 tubs (230g each) medium-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tub (250g) sour cream, at room temperature
½ cup (110g) brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp (15ml) flour

For the topping:  

4 sheets phyllo pastry, defrosted
⅓ cup (80ml) melted butter, for brushing
½ cup (125ml) water
½ cup (125ml) sugar

Method

1.  Line the base and sides of a 20cm loose-bottom cake tin. 
2.  Preheat oven to 160ºC.
3.  Blitz biscuits to a fine crumb using a food processor (or crush in a plastic bag using a rolling pin). Stir through melted butter to create a crumb that binds once pressed together. 
4.  Press crumb into the base of the tin, moving up the sides about 2cm. Set aside. 
5.  Combine boiling water and instant coffee, stirring to dissolve. Set aside to cool. 
6.  Whisk together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
7.  Whisk through the sugar, followed by the eggs and cooled coffee. Fold through the flour. 
8.  Pour cheesecake mixture onto biscuit crumb base. 
9. Place a deep tray of water at the bottom of the oven.
10. Bake cheesecake in the oven for 10 minutes, then take it out.
11. For the topping, brush both sides of the 4 sheets of phyllo generously with melted butter. 
12. Fold two of the sheets into spiral shapes, creating two large circles of valleys and ridges. Halve the remaining two sheets, then twist and fold each into smaller spirals. 
13. Arrange pastry spirals on the par-baked cake. Bake cake for a further 40 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden and the cheesecake underneath no longer wobbles on the sides. 
14. Dissolve water and sugar in a small pot, then simmer water and sugar together for 3 minutes to thicken slightly. 
15. Remove the cake and brush simple syrup over the phyllo.
16. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 2 hours to chill. Slice and serve. 

Recipes & Styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg 
Photography:Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Golden syrup custard tart

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