Fig Cheese Cake

Not many people think of Figs when they think of Cheese cakes. But if you love cheese cakes as I do and love figs as I do - you will love this combination.

This is a standard baked cheese cake recipe I use to to make many seasonal fruit cheese cakes. I've tried it with Peaches, Pears, plums. Did I tell you I love cheesecakes?


Here's what you will need: 
I prefer to make this a day ahead, so the flavors all come together well.

For the base:
200 grams digestive or wafer biscuts
100 grams melted butter
1 tbsp sugar (optional)

For the cheese batter
500 grams Cream Cheese (I use 1/2 Philadelphia or Mascapone and half regular) 
2 cups Sour cream
1 tbsp lemon juice

4 large eggs
110 grams / 1 cup sugar
1 tsp Vanilla 
400 grams firm figs (about 6 to 7)
2 tbsp flour 

For the topping 
400 grams figs ( about 8 to 9)
1 tbsp gelatine
1/2 cup simple syrup (or boil 3/4 cup water with 3 tbsp sugar for 2 minutes)


Method:
Have all your ingredients ready at room temperature. This is very important. 

Preheat the oven to 170C/375F

Prepare the baking pan- Use a  9" Spring form Pan -  Line the inside with parchment paper so you can move the cake from the pan base to the serving platter later. Cover the outside with foil because you will bake this in a water bath - the foil will ensure the water won't go into the baking pan.   

Make the cookie base - Crush the biscuit, add melted butter and spread them evenly onto the base of the spring form pan as shown in my previous Strawberry Cheese cake recipe. 
Let chill in the fridge while you make the batter. 

Make the batter:
Technically you could just put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk but in order to ensure the cream cheese is soft and doesn't leave any lumps - I prefer to do this one at a time.
You could do this is an electric mixer making sure not to over mix it. Over mixed cheese cake batters tend to crack.  So, my preference is the a simple bowl and whisk.

Start with the cream cheese and sugar,  whisk. Then add the sour cream, lemon juice, and eggs one a time making sure you incorporate each well into the batter.

Here's the batter ready. Set a side for a minute.

Prepare the fillings for the batter - wash, dry, remove stems and cut in quarters. 

Place in a dry bowl and add 2 tbsp of flour to the figs. Toss the bowl so the figs will get coated in the flour well. 

 Next add the coated figs to the batter leaving the excess flour behind.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. 
Bake - Place the cheese cake in the middle rack on a baking sheet and pour hot water in the baking sheet (make sure none falls in the cheese cake)  -
This is called a water bath. It will ensure your cheese cake will bake like a custard - stay moist and not dry out..

Bake for 10 minutes at 170C/ 340F reduce the heat to 160C/320F and continue to bake for about 50 to 60 minutes more . Until the top looks set. The middle will still have a slight wobble..
Turn the oven off and let the cheese cake cool in the oven for about an hour or two.
Let chill in the fridge for an hour or two more..

The cheese cake would have settle and will look something like this. Take a knife and release the sides of the cheese cake from the pan.

Cut the remaining figs into even slices like so. 

Arrange the slices onto the cheese cake like so.   I leave the cheese cake in the pan so I can use the rim as a guide but you could remove the cheese cake and transfer it to a serving platter now as well.

Make the glaze - Add 1 tbsp gelatin to 1/2 cup simple sugar syrup. ( you could use water too but I prefer simple syrup) Let soak for about 5 minutes. Microwave on 50% power for about 30 secs until dissolved and looks clear like so.
Let cool slightly. Then take a pastry brush and coat the layered figs generously with the gelatine mixture. 

Once coated, let chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. 

Remove from the cake pan and place on a serving platter.

You see how the figs in the cake are all scattered. This happens when you coat them with flour -if not they will all sink to the bottom of the pan.
Useful tip - Coating the fruit in flour is like giving a floating device to a new swimmer.. Helps them float.  works with fruit cakes too.

And that's my Fig Cheese Cake recipe. I do hope you try it.

If you do try it... let me know. Write a comment and share your experience with us. 

Thanks for stopping by.