How to Make Cashew Cheesecake

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients needed to make Cashew Cheesecake:

For the cashew brittle:

• 4 oz cashew nuts
• Butter, for greasing
• 7 oz caster sugar

For the cheesecake:

• 8 oz ricotta cheese
• 7 fl oz double cream, whipped to form soft peaks
• 4 ½ oz Greek-style yogurt
• 4 apple bananas, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 1 vanilla pod, split open and seeds scraped out
• 4 ½ oz caster sugar
• 2 oz butter

Cooking instructions for Cashew Cheesecake:

• To prepare the cashew brittle, rub a small knob small amount of butter within the baking tray.
• Sprinkle the cashew nuts in a dry skillet and toast them, while stirring often, until they turn golden brown evenly.
• Transfer them into a chopping board and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Chop them into rough chunks and set aside.
• Sprinkle the sugar into the same skillet and cook them for a couple of minutes, until the sugar dissolves and caramelize.
• Scatter the chopped nuts into the caramel and stir them into the pan until they are distributed evenly throughout it.
• Tip the mixture into the prepared tray and set aside until it cools down completely and it sets to form a brittle.
• Break it into smaller bits and toss half of them into a food processor.
• Pulse them into a fine powder and set aside.
• To make the cheesecake, place the ricotta, 4 oz sugar, yogurt as well as the vanilla seeds into a medium mixing bowl and whisk them together until they blend thoroughly.
• Spoon in the whipped cream and fold it into the mixture until well combined.
• Stuff it into four 2 ½’’ wide chefs’ rings and level the surface with the back of the spoon.
• Dust the ground cashew brittle on top of the cheesecakes and set aside.
• Heat a skillet over moderate heat and add a knob of butter into it.
• Throw in the banana chunks and stir fry them for a minute or two.
• Sprinkle rest of the sugar over them and continue to fry them for another couple of minutes.
• Place each cheesecake on a serving plate, with the cashew-side facing down, and lift up the chefs’ ring from it carefully.
• Sprinkle the reserved cashew brittle on top of each serving and sprinkle the banana chunks around each cheesecake.
• Serve and have fun.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons