This raw Tamarillo Cheesecake with agar will delight and surprise your taste buds and the addition of agar, derived from a red seaweed means it is vegan and full of nutrients.
Serves 4
Prep time 3 hours, cooking time
Ingredients
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200g ginger snaps biscuits
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1/3 cup (80ml) dessert wine or sweet sherry
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1 tsp Agar powder
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Zest and juice of 1 lemon
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250g cream cheese
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500g thick Greek-style yoghurt
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1/2 cup (110g) vanilla sugar
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8 ripe and juicy tamarillos
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2/3cup (~150g) vanilla sugar
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1 cup red wine (shiraz/merlot)
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1 cup water
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cinnamon quill
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strip of lemon zest
Directions
- Place the ginger snaps in a food processor and pulse to form crumbs. Place crumbs and wine in a bowl, then stir to combine. Divide among four 250ml serving glasses. Set aside.
- Prepare the lemon juice and if necessary add a bit of water to make ¼ cup of liquid. Sprinkle the sugar and the Agar powder on it; let stand for 5 minutes for the agar to swell. Heat the lemon juice on medium heat and stir until the sugar & agar are completely dissolved. Then, combine the cream cheese, yoghurt, lemon zest and agar mixture with a whisk until smooth.
- Pour over the biscuit mixture and chill for 20 minutes or until set.
- To make the compote, heat up wine, water and sugar with the cinnamon in a pot. Stir over a low heat, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Peel the tamarillos and place them in the liquid; gently bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool and then refrigerate several hours or overnight.
- To serve, garnish the yogurt mixture in the serving glasses with the compote.
Notes
- Here Agar seaweed is used to set the cheese cake. Tamarillos can be a bit tart when eaten free but simmered in red wine with vanilla sugar, a cinnamon stick & the zest of a lemon, they can be heavenly.
