Cheesecake with Vanilla Panna Cotta

Ingredients

• 260 g salted crackers
• 200 g butter
• 130 g caster sugar (For the base)
• 65 g plain flour (For the base)
• 650 g fromage blanc (For the cheesecake mixture)
• 500 g thick double cream (30% fat; for the cheesecake mixture)
• 270 g icing sugar (For the cheesecake mixture)
• 40 g cornflour (Cornstarch; for the cheesecake mixture)
• 250 g egg (About 5 eggs)
• 2 vanilla beans (Seeds scraped; for the cheesecake mixture)
• 35 g lemon juice (For the cheesecake mixture)
• 4 g leaf gelatine (For the panna cotta; hydrate in very cold water before use)
• 300 g whipping cream (30% fat; use 100 g to boil with the sugar and vanilla, then add the remaining cream)
• 15 g caster sugar (For the panna cotta)
• 1 vanilla bean (Seeds scraped; for the panna cotta)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the salted crackers in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a food processor fitted with the plastic blade. Process gently until they form a powder.

2. 2

   Add the butter, 130 g caster sugar, and plain flour. Mix gently until the mixture has the consistency of a creamy dough.

3. 3

   Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 1 cm. Refrigerate it for 1 hour.

4. 4

   Cut the chilled dough into one 12 cm × 24 cm rectangle for the base and two 24 cm × 3 cm strips for the long sides.

5. 5

   Place a 12 cm × 24 cm × 7 cm rectangular dessert frame on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Put the cracker rectangle in the bottom of the frame and position the two strips along the long sides. Set aside.

6. 6

   Preheat the oven to 120°C. In a stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the fromage blanc, 500 g thick cream, icing sugar, and cornflour.

7. 7

   Whisk in the egg, then add the scraped seeds from the two vanilla beans and the lemon juice. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.

8. 8

   Pour the cheesecake mixture into the lined frame over the cracker base. Bake for 20–40 minutes, opening the oven door for a few seconds every 10 minutes to release steam and help prevent cracks.

9. 9

   Check the cheesecake by tapping the frame. The cream should be set and wobble only slightly. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it, ideally overnight.

10. 10

    To prepare the panna cotta, immerse the leaf gelatine in a bowl of very cold water for at least 15 minutes. Drain it and squeeze it between your hands to remove excess water.

11. 11

    Put 100 g of the whipping cream in a saucepan with the panna-cotta caster sugar and the scraped seeds from the vanilla bean. Bring the mixture to the boil, then remove it from the heat.

12. 12

    Whisk the drained gelatine into the hot cream mixture until it has completely dissolved.

13. 13

    Add the remaining whipping cream and mix to combine. Pour the panna cotta mixture over the chilled cheesecake.

14. 14

    Refrigerate the cheesecake for 2 hours, or until the panna cotta has set.

15. 15

    Using a kitchen blowtorch, gently heat the sides of the frame to release it. Remove the frame and cut the cheesecake into individual portions.

Notes

Leaf gelatine must be soaked in very cold water for at least 15 minutes, then drained and squeezed before adding. Use the panna cotta mixture immediately after preparing it. Oven temperatures are for a conventional oven; for fan-forced/convection, reduce the temperature by 20°C. The source lists 6–24 hours of refrigeration overall; the cheesecake is ideally refrigerated overnight before adding the panna cotta.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• French
• baked
• cheesecake
• panna cotta
• vegetarian
• make-ahead
• special occasion