BAKED GOAT'S CURD CHEESECAKE WITH STICKY RHUBARB AND FIGS

This is extraordinary cheesecake is guaranteed to impress at any occasion.

INGREDIENTS

• 300g shortbread biscuits
• 125g unsalted butter, melted
• 3 3/4 cups (750g) goat’s curd (from gourmet food shops) or fresh ricotta
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 5 eggs
• 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
• Chopped pistachios and honeycomb, to serve

Sticky rhubarb

• 1 bunch rhubarb stalks, trimmed, cut into 10cm pieces
• 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
• 1/2 cup (125ml) verjuice
• Pared zest of 1 lemon
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Toffee figs

• 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
• 4 figs, halved

• METHOD

  • 1
    Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 24cm springform pan and line with baking paper.
  • 2
    Place biscuits in a food processor and whiz to a fine crumb. Add butter and whiz to combine. Press evenly into base of the prepared pan. Chill until ready to use.
  • 3
    To make the filling, place goat’s curd, honey, vanilla seeds and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar for 1 minute or until well combined. Gradually add egg mixture to curd mixture, whisking until smooth.
  • 4
    Pour over biscuit base, then place on a baking tray and bake for 90 minutes or until the edges are golden and the centre still has a slight wobble. Turn off oven and leave to cool in oven for 30 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • 5
    Meanwhile, for the rhubarb, increase oven temperature to 200°C. Place rhubarb, sugar, verjuice, lemon zest and vanilla pod and seeds in a roasting pan. Cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes or until rhubarb has softened. Set aside, covered, to cool.
  • 6
    Strain liquid into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until syrupy and reduced by half. Set aside to cool completely.
  • 7
    For the toffee figs, place sugar on a plate and dip cut side of figs into sugar. Heat a frypan over medium-high heat. Cook figs, cut-side down, for 2-3 minutes or until caramelised. Transfer to a tray and set aside until ready to serve.
  • 8
    Place cheesecake on a serving platter. Top with rhubarb, syrup and figs. Serve with pistachios and honeycomb.

  • NOTES

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    Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.