Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Cardamom, Strawberry and Pistachio Cheesecake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
40 mins
1 hour 10 mins
5 hours 40 mins
Serves:
One 9-inch cheesecake (12 slices)
Mo created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. Baked alongside his cousin Ezra and inspired by the bakes he makes when family visits, this cardamom Basque cheesecake has a scorched, caramelized top and a soft, creamy center, finished with strawberry compote and pistachio paste. Nigella...
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Ingredients
FOR THE CARDAMOM BASQUE CHEESECAKE: 2 lb (four 8-oz blocks) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature 1¼ cups granulated sugar ¼ tsp fine salt 5 large eggs, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 1½ tsp ground cardamom, freshly ground from the seeds of about 20 green cardamom pods 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1½ cups heavy cream
FOR THE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE: 1 lb fresh strawberries, rinsed, patted dry, hulled and quartered ⅓ cup granulated sugar 1 tsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp cold water
FOR THE PISTACHIO PASTE: 1 cup (about 4½ oz) shelled pistachios, unsalted 2 Tbsp powdered sugar Pinch fine salt 2–3 Tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed
FOR THE FINISH: 2 Tbsp chopped shelled pistachios
EQUIPMENT: 9-inch springform pan, at least 3 inches deep Parchment paper Rimmed baking sheet Stand mixer or hand mixer Spice grinder or mortar and pestle Fine-mesh sieve Small saucepan Food processor
Method
STEP 1: PREPARE THE PAN
Heat the oven to 425°F. Line the springform pan with two crumpled, overlapping sheets of parchment paper that stand about 2 inches above the rim, then set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any leaks.
STEP 2: GRIND THE CARDAMOM
Split about 20 green cardamom pods, tip out the seeds and discard the husks. Grind the seeds to a fine powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, then measure out 1½ tsp.
STEP 3: MAKE THE BATTER
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and salt on medium-low until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in the vanilla extract and ground cardamom. Sift in the flour through a fine-mesh sieve and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer on low, stream in the heavy cream and mix until the batter is smooth and pourable.
STEP 4: BAKE THE CHEESECAKE
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the top is a deep, scorched brown and the center still wobbles when the pan is nudged.
STEP 5: COOL AND CHILL
Cool the cheesecake in the pan to room temperature, about 1 hour; it will sink as it cools. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
STEP 6: MAKE THE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
Cook the strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring gently, until the berries soften and release their juice, 6–8 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water, stir it into the pan and simmer for 1 minute until glossy and lightly thickened. Cool completely.
STEP 7: MAKE THE PISTACHIO PASTE
Process the pistachios, powdered sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the oil a tablespoon at a time and keep processing, scraping down often, until a smooth, spoonable paste forms, 5–8 minutes.
STEP 8: FINISH AND SERVE
Release the cheesecake, peel back the parchment and set it on a serving plate. Spoon the cooled compote over the center, leaving a rim of the scorched top showing. Add the pistachio paste in spoonfuls or a ribbon over the compote and scatter with the chopped pistachios. Serve chilled. The cheesecake keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator; add the toppings on the day of serving.
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Instructions
FOR THE CARDAMOM BASQUE CHEESECAKE:
2 lb (four 8-oz blocks) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1¼ cups granulated sugar
¼ tsp fine salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
(/interesting-ingredients/vanilla-extract)1½ tsp ground cardamom,(/interesting-ingredients/ground-cardamom) freshly ground from the seeds of about 20 green cardamom pods
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1½ cups heavy cream
FOR THE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE:
1 lb fresh strawberries, rinsed, patted dry, hulled and quartered
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water
FOR THE PISTACHIO PASTE:
1 cup (about 4½ oz) shelled pistachios,(/interesting-ingredients/shelled-pistachios) unsalted
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
Pinch fine salt
2–3 Tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed
FOR THE FINISH:
2 Tbsp chopped shelled pistachios(/interesting-ingredients/shelled-pistachios)
EQUIPMENT:
9-inch springform pan, at least 3 inches deep
Parchment paper
Rimmed baking sheet
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Spice grinder or mortar and pestle
Fine-mesh sieve
Small saucepan
Food processor
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: PREPARE THE PAN
Heat the oven to 425°F. Line the springform pan with two crumpled, overlapping sheets of parchment paper that stand about 2 inches above the rim, then set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any leaks.
STEP 2: GRIND THE CARDAMOM
Split about 20 green cardamom pods, tip out the seeds and discard the husks. Grind the seeds to a fine powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, then measure out 1½ tsp.
STEP 3: MAKE THE BATTER
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and salt on medium-low until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in the vanilla extract and ground cardamom. Sift in the flour through a fine-mesh sieve and mix on low until just combined. With the mixer on low, stream in the heavy cream and mix until the batter is smooth and pourable.
STEP 4: BAKE THE CHEESECAKE
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the top is a deep, scorched brown and the center still wobbles when the pan is nudged.
STEP 5: COOL AND CHILL
Cool the cheesecake in the pan to room temperature, about 1 hour; it will sink as it cools. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
STEP 6: MAKE THE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
Cook the strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring gently, until the berries soften and release their juice, 6–8 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water, stir it into the pan and simmer for 1 minute until glossy and lightly thickened. Cool completely.
STEP 7: MAKE THE PISTACHIO PASTE
Process the pistachios, powdered sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the oil a tablespoon at a time and keep processing, scraping down often, until a smooth, spoonable paste forms, 5–8 minutes.
STEP 8: FINISH AND SERVE
Release the cheesecake, peel back the parchment and set it on a serving plate. Spoon the cooled compote over the center, leaving a rim of the scorched top showing. Add the pistachio paste in spoonfuls or a ribbon over the compote and scatter with the chopped pistachios. Serve chilled. The cheesecake keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator; add the toppings on the day of serving.
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