Lime and Passion Fruit Basque Cheesecake with Mango
Prep. Time:
45 minutes (plus cooling time)
Baking Time:
55 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 40 minutes (plus 4 hours chilling)
Serves:
10-12 servings
Jasmine created this dish for Great British Bake Off Season 16. Prue Leith declared it "very delicious" and admitted she was "trying not to eat it all," while Paul Hollywood praised the "properly burnt" caramelized top that defines Basque cheesecake. The bold use of eight limes ensures the flavor "really carries through" in this tropical summer escape.
Ingredients
Instructions
MAKE THE CANDIED LIME PEEL:
1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove lime zest in long strips, avoiding white pith.
2. Slice strips into thin julienne.
3. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain.
4. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to boil.
5. Add blanched lime peel and simmer 15-20 minutes until translucent and syrupy.
6. Remove with slotted spoon and let cool on parchment paper.
MAKE THE BASQUE CHEESECAKE:
7. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, allowing it to come up and over the sides with wrinkles and folds.
8. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
9. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
10. Add heavy cream, lime zest (all 8 limes), lime juice, flour, salt, and vanilla. Beat until completely smooth.
11. Pour batter into prepared pan.
BAKE - "PROPERLY BURNT":
12. Bake at 400°F for 50-55 minutes. The top should be deeply golden brown to almost black in spots with caramelization.
13. The cheesecake will puff up dramatically and the edges will be deeply caramelized while the center remains jiggly.
14. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan. The center will sink as it cools.
15. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
MAKE THE PASSION FRUIT CURD:
16. Cut passion fruits in half and scoop pulp and seeds into a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Press to extract juice, reserving some seeds for texture.
17. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together passion fruit juice, sugar, and eggs.
18. Set bowl over simmering water (double boiler). Cook, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes.
19. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted.
20. Strain through fine-mesh sieve. Cool completely.
MAKE THE PASSION FRUIT MASCARPONE CREAM:
21. In a bowl, whisk mascarpone until smooth and creamy.
22. Fold in cooled passion fruit curd until well combined.
23. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks.
24. Gently fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.
25. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
CREATE THE MANGO ROSE:
26. Peel mango and slice very thinly lengthwise.
27. Lay slices slightly overlapping in a line.
28. Starting from one end, carefully roll the mango slices into a spiral to create a rose shape.
29. Set aside.
ASSEMBLE AND GARNISH:
30. Remove cheesecake from refrigerator. Carefully remove from springform pan and peel away parchment.
31. Spread or pipe passion fruit mascarpone cream over the top of the cheesecake.
32. Place mango rose in the center.
33. Arrange candied lime peel artfully around the mango.
34. Tuck fresh mint leaves around the rose.
35. If desired, drizzle additional passion fruit pulp around the edge.
