Ube Cheesecake

Quickie post today, recipe only.

Ube Cheesecake with Toasted Coconut Crust and Blackberries

Makes a moderately tall, 9-inch cake – serves 12

Toasted Coconut Crust:

• 1 c unsweetened dessicated coconut
• 1 sleeve Maria biscuits, roughly broken up
• 1/3 c coconut oil, melted

1. In a skillet, stir the coconut over medium heat until golden, crisp, and aromatic. Transfer to a plate, spreading it out evenly, and let cool completely.
2. Add the toasted coconut and Maria biscuits to a blender or food processor and blend do a sand consistency.
3. Transfer the crumb mixture to a bowl and stir in the coconut oil until the mixture resembles damp sand.
4. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and press the crumb mixture firmly into the pan to form the crust.
5. Chill the crust thoroughly in the fridge, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
6. Bake the crust for 20 minutes, or until golden and lightly browned along the edge.
7. Cool completely while you make the cheesecake batter.

Ube Cheesecake Filling

• 2 small ube or purple sweet potato – scrubbed clean and steamed until tender
• 750 g 2% cottage cheese
• 500 g full fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, with a rack set at the lowest part of the oven and a rack at the center. Place a sheet pan on the lower rack.
2. Break the steamed ube into pieces and blend on LOW SPEED until smooth and thick with the cottage cheese. (Vigorous blending may destroy the protein structure of the curds and prevent your cheesecake from setting properly. You’ll know you’ve taken it too far when you’ve essentially liquefied the mixture.)
3. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, coconut extract, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth.
4. Pour the ube mixture into the cream cheese mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
5. Once your oven is preheated, pour water into the preheated sheet pan (step 1) to quickly create steam.
6. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust, place on another sheet pan, and bake on the top rack for 50-60 minutes, or until the edge is slightly puffed and only the center has a slight jiggle.
7. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool until warm enough to touch with the oven door slightly ajar.
8. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before covering with foil and chilling completely in the fridge (preferably overnight).
9. Run a thin blade between the cheesecake edge and sides of the pan before unmolding.
10. Top with blackberries, whipped coconut cream, diced mango, or any other topping that you feel like.
11. Slice with a sharp chef’s knife dipped in hot water, cleaning and reheating the blade between each slice.