Reduced Sugar California Prune Cheesecake

Makes: 8Prep Time: 40 minutesCook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  •  
  • 400g plain digestive biscuits, finely crushed
  • 1tsp cinnamon
  • 100g unsalted butter, melted
  • 150g California Prunes
  • 175g California Prune purée*
  • 3tbsp Tia Maria
  • 1tsp lemon juice
  • 800g cream cheese
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 4tbsp double cream
  • 2tsp vanilla essence
  • 5 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 25g plain chocolate, grated
  • 2tbsp strong coffee (pre-mixed with water)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Place the biscuits in a large bowl, add the cinnamon and butter and stir until well mixed.
  2. Press the crumb base well into a base-lined 23 cm (9 inch) round, loose-bottomed cake tin, covering the base and sides, then bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 5 minutes.
  3. Place the California Prunes, Tia Maria and lemon juice in a small bowl and leave to macerate.
  4. Remove the crumb base from the oven and cool in the tin on a wire rack.
  5. Reduce oven temperature to 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3.
  6. Place the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat together until smooth.
  7. Add the cream and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth.
  8. Continue beating while adding the eggs, a little at a time, until all are incorporated.
  9. Place the chocolate and made up coffee in a saucepan and melt together over a low heat and cool slightly.
  10. Measure 750 ml (1¼ pt) of the cheesecake mixture into a jug and reserve.
  11. Beat the remaining batter with the chocolate coffee mixture and California Prune purée until well mixed and pour into the crumb base. Cook in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until cheesecake is nearly set.
  12. Remove the California Prunes from marinade and arrange over the cooked layer.
  13. Pour over the reserved batter and return to oven, cooking for a further 35 minutes until set.
  14. Cool in tin on a wire rack until completely cooled then remove cheesecake from the tin and refrigerate until required.
  15. Before serving, decorate with the grated chocolate and raspberries.

* To make California Prune purée, blend 100g California Prunes with 6 tbsp boiling water in a liquidiser until puréed to your desired consistency.