I don't like papaya. I've chewed on the real fruit, sipped the juice, golden nectar, and even tried a Chobani Greek yogurt laced with papaya seeds.
So why then, do I love my peach cheesecake with a papaya Amaretto topping? Perhaps I'm just delightfully distracted by the peach vodka, peach schnapps, and Amaretto.
Or maybe the rich creamy filling, resting on top of a spicy ginger crust sends my senses soaring! And then there's the natural succulent fruity flavor that only a summer peach at peak season can deliver.
The tasty truth is, I've been developing different cheesecake recipes and wanted to take advantage of fresh fruit. So I had peaches rolling around in my mind as I browsed through the grocery store. I was picking up juice for another recipe and when I saw papaya nectar I thought, peach, papaya, and ginger with almonds instead of the traditional graham cracker crust....
Then I even went so far as to try 2 slightly different toppings. One with a fresh peach, one using peach jam. Jumped a little out of the box by adding a pinch of black pepper for an interesting tingle to the tongue.
I'm into the mini desserts so I've been on a mission to create little cheesecakes instead of springform masterpieces. It allows me the freedom to play around with multiple flavors and not be committed to a whole cake, which I certainly do not need hanging out in the fridge beckoning me to indulge. But then cheesecake isn't really about need, is it?
Also, if something doesn't work out I've lost less ingredients experimenting in small batches.
Give these cheesecakes a try and treat yourself to a well deserved decadent afternoon break!
Peach Cheesecake With Ginger Crust And Spicy Papaya Amaretto Topping
Ingredients
Crust
19 Ginger snap cookies (I use Trader Joes. Just use a cookie that's at least 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick so it supports the batter)
6 additional ginger snap cookies, crushed into fairly fine crumbs to use as a garnish over top of the filling. (optional)
Filling
12 oz. regular cream cheese
6 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 egg plus 1 1/2 tbsp of another (just crack open the second egg, beat, then measure)
8 oz. of fresh peaches, peeled, drained and pureed
1 oz. peach schnapps
1 oz. peach vodka
1/4 tsp. fresh ginger
Ingredients for Topping #1
1 small peach
1/2 C papaya nectar
1 tbsp honey
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tsp. Amaretto
1 tsp. vanilla
Ingredients Topping #2
1/2 C peach jam
1/2 C papaya nectar
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. Meyer lemon zest (you can use lemon but the Meyer lends a unique taste to this sauce. If you use lemon add a little orange as well)
2 tsp. Amaretto
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions For Crust
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin pans with baking cups and place one cookie in each.
Chop 6 additional cookies fine. Place in a ziplock bag.
Directions For Filling
Beat cream cheese, flour, and sugar on low speed until well blended but be careful not to overmix. Using low is important so you don't get too much air in the mix, which can cause the cheesecakes to crack.
Add egg and beat. Pour in peach puree and liqueurs. Mix, still on low, just until blended.
Distribute batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 20 to 22 minutes. Cheesecakes should be glossy on the top, set, but still jiggle slightly.
It can be challenging to tell when cheesecakes are done, and may take you more than one try to achieve the best results. You can't really test these like you would a cake so you kind of get a feel for it by practicing, which is a lot of fun!
Cool pans on cookie racks for an hour. They will still be warm and very pliable. Carefully remove each one and place individually on cookie racks. Continue cooling for another 3 hours, if possible before chilling, to avoid condensation forming on top. Refrigerate in tightly sealed containers.
You can eat cheesecakes within a couple hours of being baked but, it's best chilled for at least a few hours to overnight so it has time to set and develop that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Plus, until it's cold, it's difficult to tell if it has cooked properly.
These freeze well without topping. To thaw, remove from container and place on racks. If you leave them in the tupperware, moisture forms and drips onto the cakes.
Directions For Topping #1
Place peach and nectar in a blender and puree until thick. Pour in saucepan. Cook on medium for about 15 minutes to thicken. Add pepper and flavorings. Continue to cook on medium low for 10 minutes. Cool completely before topping cheesecakes. Chill both together before serving. Garnish with slivered almonds.
Directions For Topping #2
Add jam, nectar, and honey into a saucepan. Heat for 15 minutes on medium heat to thicken. Add zest and flavorings. Simmer along on medium low for another 10 minutes. Cool completely before topping cheesecakes. Chill both together before serving. Garnish with slivered almonds.
While papaya by itself does not please my palate, when I mixed it with other culinary characters it teased and tantalized my taste buds to the point of enticing me to grab another bottle of this golden nectar and head back into the test kitchen!
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