A Second on the Lips, Forever on the Hips

I did not realise how deliciously sinful diet-wise cheesecake actually could be, 'til I made my first one from scratch (not packet) for Father's Day dinner this weekend. Everyone ate it and my brothers did not pull faces like they were dying from the agony of it all, so I think it worked. I used this recipe from Notebook magazine. My fave part of it was the passionfruit curd which I had made once before and it worked beautifully - this time, not so good, but no-one seemed to notice.

Passionfruit Curd Cheesecake

250g butternut biscuits

200g digestive biscuits

120g butter, melted

500g cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar

300g sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

Passionfruit curd

2 passionfruit

50g butter

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar

1 tbs lemon juice

Line the base of a 20cm (base measurement) springform pan with baking paper. Place the biscuits in a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Transfer mixture to the pan and use a glass to press the crumb mixture firmly over the base and side of the pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

In the meantime, to make the passionfruit curd, place passionfruit pulp, butter, eggs, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

Preheat oven to 160°C. Use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat until smooth. Add eggs and lemon rind and beat until just combined.

Pour half the cream cheese mixture into the biscuit base. Dollop spoonfuls of half the passionfruit curd over the cream cheese. Pour over remaining cream cheese and dollop half of the remaining curd. Use a bamboo skewer to gently swirl passionfruit mixture and cream cheese to make a marbled pattern.

Place on an oven tray. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until centre is just set. (here is where I went wrong - make sure you oven is on the cooking setting, not the defrost setting when you go to check your cheesecake 45 minutes later). Turn oven off. Leave cheesecake in the oven, with the door ajar, for 1 hour or until cooled completely. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill. Spread over remaining curd to serve. Shovel into mouth like the little piggy you know you are.