GREEK INSPIRED FIG CHEESECAKE!

My mum always loads me up with goodies from their garden..To the point of ridiculous at times...Don't get me wrong I am grateful....This year they had an abundance of figs....considering the $40 a kilo price tag they had at Prahran market this season I say bring them on!!!

I had them a la naturale, I made a fig tart but I had cravings for my favourite dessert...Cheesecake...

I greekified things by adding walnuts, honey, yoghurt and cinnamon...It was delicious...Well I loved it anyway!!!!!


RECIPE

1 packet arrowroot biscuits

1 cup homemade granola (mine includes oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds, dried cranberries)

3 vanilla pods

sprinkle cinnamon

5 tbs honey

500 gms light  cream cheese

1 condensed milk

1 cup greek yohurt

1 full teaspoon agar agar 1 cup water (I ran out of gelatine)

1 cup walnuts

juice from ½ lemon

120gm melted butter

6 very ripe figs

splash of commandaria  (cypriot fortified dessert wine)

1.     (add 1 teaspoon agar agar with one cup water and heat over low flame. DO NOT BOIL

2.     (for sauce)  chop ripe figs and add to saucepan with 3 tbs honey, splash commandaria and vanilla from 1 pod and cinnamon. Cook down and add a couple of splashes of water if need be.

3.    (for topping)  Place walnuts on baking tray lined with silicone and drizzle with 2 tbs honey and bake for about 2-4 minutes in a hot oven. Do not burn.  Allow to cool

4. (For cheesecake) Process biscuits and granola, pour in melted butter.  Line the tin with biscuit mixture and press down. Let it set in fridge

In processor add cheese, yoghurt, vanilla beans from 2 pods, condensed milk, lemon juice and mix.  After reserving some of the syrup from the figs add the remaining fig mixture to the cheese mixture and process again for a few seconds. Then slowly add the hot agar agar mix and wizz again.

Add cheese mixture to biscuit base top with honeyed walnuts and drizzle the reserved syrup.  Place in the fridge to set for several hours

Enjoy

xxxCarol