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Lemon, poppyseed and honey cheesecake

This mouth-watering dessert is sure to impress.
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Perfect for a special afternoon tea or to round off a dinner party, this lemon, poppyseed and honey cheesecake is a crowd-pleaser.

The cream cheese filling is deliciously light, thanks to the addition of Greek yoghurt and zesty lemons. Garnish with fresh fruit (we chose three figs halved lengthways and drizzled with honey) to complete this delicately crafted dessert. And if you love this recipe, don’t forget to try this lime and poppyseed yoghurt cake too!

Lemon and poppyseed cheesecake with figs on top

Ingredients

Filling

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180oC. Invert the base of a 23cm springform pan. Grease, then line the base and side of pan with baking paper. Put walnuts, pistachios, sugar and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Process until coarse crumbs form. Add ground almonds. Pulse until combined.

2.

Add butter and process until combined. Press into the base of prepared pan. Use a flat-based glass to press down firmly. Put pan on an oven tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly.

3.

To make the filling, reduce oven to 150oC. Put half of the cream cheese in the clean bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Gradually add remaining cream cheese through the food chute, while processing, until smooth.

4.

Add sugar, honey, yoghurt, eggs, juice and zest, and process until smooth. Scrape down sides with a spatula halfway and process until lump-free. Add poppy seeds and pulse until smooth. Pour over base.

5.

Bake for 45 minutes or until just set in the middle, avoid opening the oven door during cooking. Allow to cool in oven with door ajar for 30 minutes. Refrigerate in pan, covered, overnight.

6.

To serve, remove from pan and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange figs on top. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with pistachios. Cut into wedges to serve.

TIP: You may experience slight cracking upon cooling. This is partly due to the low-fat content in the yoghurt and overcooking. It is important to not continue to bake after 45 minutes if cheesecake is set in the centre with a slight wobble. It will continue to cook on cooling with door ajar. Cracking does not affect taste.

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