Serves 10
If a cheesecake and a sticky date pudding had a dessert baby, this would be it my friends, this would be it!
Cheesecake and Sticky Date Puddings are two of my all time favourite desserts so when it comes to this recipe, resistance is futile! The cheesecake itself is super forgiving, there’s no biscuit base so it’s remarkably light, and full fat or light cream cheese both work well.
The dates add that caramel richness to the dessert and when you slather your slice in that rich sauce, well, you’re on a one way ticket to Dessert Heaven. The cheesecake can be served warm or at room temperature and I’ve updated this recipe with a Thermomix conversion but however you make this and however you serve it, I promise you one thing, you’re going to love it!
Ingredients
FOR THE CHEESECAKE
1 cup (170g) dried dates, pitted, chopped
¾ cup (180ml) water
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 x 250g packets cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, beaten lightly
2/3 cup (150g) firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon mixed spice
FOR THE TOPPING
½ cup (40g) flaked almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
FOR THE SAUCE
2/3 cup (150g) firmly packed brown sugar, extra
½ cup (125ml) cream
100g butter, chopped
How to – Traditional
- Grease 23cm spring form tin, line base and side with baking paper.
- Combine dates and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Immediately remove from heat, stir in the soda and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
- Strain dates over a medium saucepan, taking care to reserve the liquid. Set dates aside and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160C/140C fan-forced.
- Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth; then add the eggs, sugar and spices and mix until combined. Then gently fold in the dates.
- Place tin on oven tray, pour the cheesecake mixture into tin. Sprinkle with almonds and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for about 1 hour, or until the cheesecake is firm with a slight wobble. Cool in oven with the door ajar for at least an hour.
- To make the sauce, stir the brown sugar, cream and butter into the reserved date liquid in the pan. Stir over a gentle heat until all the butter has melted, then simmer, uncovered for about 2 minutes.
- Serve cheesecake with warm sauce.
How to – Thermomix
- Grease 23cm spring form tin, line base and side with baking paper.
- Place the dates, boiling water and bicarb into TM bowl and heat at 100C for 5 minutes on speed 2.
- Strain dates over a medium saucepan, taking care to reserve the liquid. Set dates aside and allow to cool. There’s no need to wash the bowl.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160C/140C fan-forced.
- Add the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and spices to TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6. Scrape down sides of bowl. If necessary, repeat and mix for another 10 seconds on speed 6.
- Add the dates and mix for 5 seconds on speed 6.
- Place tin on oven tray, pour cheesecake mixture into tin. Sprinkle with almonds and cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the cheesecake is firm with a slight wobble. Cool in oven with the door ajar for at least an hour.
- To make the sauce, place the ingredients and the reserved date liquid into TM bowl and cook for 2 minutes at 80C on speed 1. Cook for another 5-8 minutes on Varoma speed 2, the sauce will thicken on standing.
- Serve cheesecake with warm sauce.
TIP! If you prefer a much thicker sauce, you can add a little more butter to the sauce or try using thickened cream instead.
Other Info
Prep and Cooking Time: 70 minutes + 1 hour cooling and chilling
