Coconut & Ginger Cheesecake

Author of Indian Family Kitchen Anjali Pathak shares with us her love for chilled cheesecake.

She says: “I love cheesecakes and have never been a fan of the New York-style ones that are baked. I much prefer the chilled ones, so here is a recipe that is great to make ahead and keep chilled in the fridge until you need it.

Make sure you buy creamed coconut, available in blocks or in individual sachets, and not coconut cream, as the latter contains too much coconut water and your cheesecake won’t set. I’ve used a springform cake tin with a loose bottom, which you shouldn’t need to grease with butter if it’s nonstick, but you can easily prepare these individually in pretty glasses.”

Serves 6–8
Prep time 15 minutes, plus chilling
Cook time 3 minutes

INGREDIENTS

50g (13/4oz) unsalted butter
200g (7oz) ginger biscuits, or use digestive biscuits with 1 tsp ground ginger
3 chunks of stem ginger in syrup, including some of the syrup from the jar
300g (101/2oz) cream cheese – I like Philadelphia
150g (51/2 oz) creamed coconut – the ones in blocks or sachets
250ml (9fl oz) double cream grated rind and juice of 1 lime
50g (13/4oz) coconut flakes or desiccated coconut, toasted (see My Secret, page 182)

METHOD
1 Gently melt the butter in a saucepan, then pour into a food processor with the ginger biscuits and stem ginger. Blitz until combined. Tightly press the crumbs into the base of an 18cm (7in) round springform, loose-bottomed cake tin and spread out so that it’s an even thickness all over. Pop in the fridge to chill and set while you make the cheesecake filling.
2 Beat together the cream cheese, creamed coconut, double cream, lime juice and around 3 tablespoons of the stem ginger syrup, or more if you like it sweet. (If you happen to be using crystallized ginger instead and don’t have any syrup, add some icing sugar to taste.) Spread on top of the ginger crumb base and put back in the fridge to set for a few hours.
3 When you are ready to serve, sprinkle the cheesecake all over with the toasted coconut and lime rind.

My Secret
I like to make speedy candied peel for sprinkling on top of the cheesecake. Cut pared lime rind into strips, remove any white pith and heat in sugar syrup for around 10 minutes. Carefully (because they will be very hot) strain the strips, roll them in caster sugar and allow to cool and crisp up. Store any extra in an airtight container for other sweet treats.