Can’t decide what to do for Christmas dessert? We’ve made it super easy with this decadent trifle cheesecake – a fun take on SA’s festive dessert.
SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 35 min
INGREDIENTS
For the crust
400 g ginger biscuits, crushed
⅓ cup melted butter, cooled
For the jelly
80 g sachet red jelly
For the filling
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
500 g cream cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp flour
To assemble
½ cup cream, whipped
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
⅓ cup raspberries
¼ cup cherries
Mini meringues, to decorate
METHOD
For the crust
1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Whizz the biscuits and butter together in a food processor. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a springform tin.
3. Blind bake for 10minutes, then set aside to cool.
For the jelly
1. Line a cake tin the same size as the one you used for your base.
2. Prepare the jelly according to the packet instructions. Pour into your prepared tin.
3. Refrigerate until set.
For the filling
1. Beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, cream, lemon juice and zest and the vanilla. Fold in the egg mixture.
3. Sift in the flour and fold in to combine.
4. Pour into the crust and wrap the outside edges of the tin in foil. Place in an oven dish filled with water to create a bain-marie.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour. Then remove it from the oven to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled.
To assemble
1. Remove the jelly from the tin and place it on top of the cheesecake layer. Refrigerate it overnight.
2. Place the meringues under the grill, or blowtorch them until they are golden on the edges.
3. Decorate the top of the trifle cheesecake with the whipped cream, meringues, pomegranates, raspberries and cherries.
Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za
If you loved this mash-up of two treats, wait until you try our caramel chocolate Christmas cake!
