Amasi Cheesecake with cherries

Amasi Cheesecake with cherries

INGREDIENTS

For the cheesecake:

The Base:

• 210g ginger biscuits
• 100g butter
• 50g castor sugar
• The cheesecake mixture
• 860g cream cheese
• 200g castor sugar
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 30g flour
• 340 ml Amasi, whisked until smooth
• 30 ml Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp vanilla paste

The caramel:

• 100g brown sugar
• 50g butter
• 50g Amasi, whisked until smooth
• 15 ml water

Garnish:

• Fresh Cherries, if available, pitted
• Icing sugar
• Serve with whipped cream

METHOD

1. For Amasi, pour the Amasi starter culture into the clean glass jar (*We are using a Keffir Starter Kit). Add milk into the jar & Stir. Cover the mixture with a muslin cloth or coffee filter and secure with rubber band. Store in a room temperature of about 20-25C out of direct sunlight and direct heat source.
2. For the cheesecake base, combine the ingredients with a food processor. Line a 22 cm round baking tin with baking paper and spray and cook then line the tin with the base mixture. Use your fingers to arrange the base into the tin.
3. For the cheesecake mixture, preheat the oven to 200 C. Beat the cream cheese and sugar on a medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until well combined. Slowly add the amasi, lemon juice and vanilla & mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared base and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cheesecake is firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the centre. You can bake this in advance and put it into the fridge.
4. For the amasi caramel, heat the sugar and butter in a pot, use a wooden spoon to swirl the butter around while it melts. Simmer on a low heat until the sugar caramelises. Remove from the heat then add the water and amasi. Set aside to cool.
5. To assemble, place the cheesecake onto a cake stand, pour the caramel onto then decorate with the fresh cherries.
6. You could serve this with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream