Passionfruit Cheesecake with Homemade Shortbread

It's been one year since I started this blog so I thought I'd bake something sweet to celebrate. Good excuse right?

There are many different approaches for making the classic dessert - cheesecake, my favourite is the fruity and baked variety. Passionfruit are available in Australia all year round, however they are in season and most affordable from December to April.

I love the gorgeous deep purple and red flesh inside the Passionfruit and glossy, golden pulp, perfect for decorating a fruit salad or baked treats.

In this recipe I have made my own shortbread base which is super easy. If you don't want to make your own, crushed up biscuits and butter work just as well.

Passionfruit Cheesecake with Homemade Shortbread

makes 4 x 200ml ramekins or 1 x 20cm flan tin

Shortbread base
100g butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup rice flour

Filling
250g cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbs lemon juice
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs

Topping
6 Passionfruit
1 tsp arrowroot
40ml water

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease ramekins or line with baking paper (if you would like to remove from the ramekin to serve).

2. Combine shortbread mixture in food processor until it forms fine crumbs. Press into base of ramekins and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven to cool. Reduce oven to 150°C.

3. To make the filling beat cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and caster sugar until smooth. Add vanilla essence and eggs, beat again. Pour into ramekins leaving 1cm to the top. Bake for 25 minutes.

4. Remove pulp from Passionfruit and add to saucepan, heat, stirring until slightly simmering and frothy. Combine arrowroot and water and add to Passionfruit to thicken. Stir for 2 minutes over heat until thick and syrupy. Leave to cool.

5. Turn oven off and leave cheesecakes in oven to cool so they don't collapse or split. Add cooled Passionfruit topping and refrigerate for a couple hours to set.

6. Serve with ice-cream and fresh berries.

Happy Birthday Delicious Moments!