Denise says:
Finding a dessert that is nut free can be challenging over the Passover holidays. This cheesecake is served in a ramekin with a compote base. It is cooked in a bain marie ( a roasting tin filled with boiling water). Any left over fruit compote is delicious for breakfast. Prunes, dried peaches or figs can be substituted if preferred.
This dessert is very easy to make and will certainly satisfy all cheese cake fans over the Pesach week!
Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients:
For the cheese cake600g cream cheese
225g caster sugar
2 eggs separated
vegetable oil – for greasing
For the Apricot Compote
250g dried apricots
50g caster sugar
Method
1) Pre- heat the oven to 150 C/ 300 F/ Gas mark 2.2) Lightly oil 6 - 10 cm/ 4 inch wide by 3.5 cm/ 1 ½ inch deep ramekins and line with circle templates of baking parchment paper.
3) For the apricot compote, place the apricots, sugar and 100ml water in a pan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer until the apricots start to break down. Add a little more water if it gets too dry. This will take about 10 minutes.
4) Whisk the cream cheese, 225g caster sugar and egg yolks together.
5) Whisk the egg whites until they are soft peaks. Take one tablespoon of egg white mixture and add to the cheese mixture, then fold in the rest.
6) Put 1 tablespoon of compote in the base of each ramekin and then fill with the cheese mixture to within 1 cm/ ½ inch of the top.
7) Place in a deep ovenware dish. Fill the dish with hot water to half way up the ramekins.
8) Bake for 25 minutes or until set.
To serve the stylish way: Invert on to a plate and dust with icing sugar before serving either hot or cold.