Baked cheesecake with pear and cardamom — dark chocolate (Print version)

Baked cheesecake with pear and cardamom — dark chocolate. Prepare the ingredients before mixing, then use the method below to keep the texture tender and the flavors evenly distributed. The cut face shows the texture to look for when the cake has cooled.

# Ingredients:

Base

01 - 180 g plain butter biscuits, without filling
02 - 70 g unsalted butter, softened

Filling

03 - 700 g full-fat cream cheese, plain
04 - 150 g granulated sugar
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 150 g sour cream
07 - 20 g cornstarch

Fruit topping

08 - 20 g granulated sugar
09 - 10 g cornstarch
10 - 30 ml water

Flavor ingredients

11 - 300 g firm pears, peeled and cored, prepared weight
12 - 0.5 tsp ground cardamom
13 - 60 g dark chocolate, chopped

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the oven to 160°C (320°F), conventional heat. Line the base of 23 cm springform tin with baking parchment and lightly grease the sides.
02 - Wash the fruit and dry it thoroughly. Cut apples and pears into thin slices, stone fruit into small wedges; leave berries whole. Weigh the fruit after peeling, coring or pitting. Drain canned pineapple thoroughly. Keep zest, spices and nuts separate from the fruit.
03 - Crush the biscuits finely. Melt the 70 g butter, mix with the crumbs and press evenly onto the lined base. Bake this base for 10 minutes at 160°C, then let it cool while making the filling.
04 - Divide the additional nuts, dried fruit, coconut or chocolate into two equal portions. Fold half into the cheesecake filling before baking and fold the rest into the completely cooled fruit topping. Do not add these ingredients to the biscuit base. At low speed, mix room-temperature cream cheese with the filling sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Mix in the sour cream. Reserve all listed citrus zest, spices or vanilla for the fruit topping. Add eggs one at a time, mixing briefly. Do not whip air into the filling. Pour over the base.
05 - Bake the filling at 160°C for 50–65 minutes. The outer ring should be set and the center should wobble gently as one piece, not ripple like liquid; an instant-read thermometer in the center should reach 71°C (160°F). Switch off the oven, leave the door ajar for 30 minutes, then cool on a rack. Refrigerate within 2 hours of leaving the oven and chill at least 6 hours.
06 - Dice sliced fruit into small pieces for the topping; keep berries whole. Simmer the fruit with the topping sugar and 20 ml of the water for 5–8 minutes until softened. Mix the topping cornstarch with the remaining 10 ml water, stir it in and boil gently for 1 minute until thick. Cool completely and spread on the cold cheesecake. Add any listed almonds after cooling. Cook any listed citrus zest, spices or vanilla with the fruit. Fold any listed sliced almonds into the completely cooled fruit topping before spreading it on the cheesecake.

# Good to know:

01 - The displayed preparation and cooking times exclude rising, cooling and refrigeration. Allow the full waiting times in the instructions before serving.
02 - Once cool, store covered in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Refrigerate cream, cheesecake and fruit cakes promptly; do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not cover hot cake, which traps condensation. Cream cakes should remain chilled until serving.

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