The thing I like best about this simple no bake cheesecake recipe is that there is no need to make a syrup, or even peel your feijoas, as the skin adds a tartness which balances beautifully with the creamy cheese. Slightly overripe feijoas are perfect to use for this cheesecake, and it is also a great way to use up any excess of the fruit.
What you need:
300g fresh feijoas (top and tailed)
250g crushed biscuits - either homemade, or store bought biscuits, such as Gingernuts or plain vanilla (also an ideal way to use up homemade biscuits that end up slightly overcooked)
500g cream cheese (room temperature)
250ml fresh cream
Juice and zest of one lime (or substitute half a lemon)
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup caster sugar
50g crystallised ginger
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
Pinch of salt
What to do:
Crush biscuits finely, using a food processor or bullet blender. Melt the butter, then combine in a bowl with the crushed biscuits, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt, and mix well.
Line a cake tin with baking paper, and press the biscuit mix firmly into the base of the cake tin, bringing the mix slightly up the sides of the tin. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, to set.
Roughly chop the feijoas and then blitz them using a food processor, bullet blender or stick blender. You may prefer to blitz for a short time and leave the feijoa mix a bit more chunky, or keep processing to get a smoother mix.
Add the room temperature cream cheese to a large bowl along with the caster sugar, lime juice and vanilla essence, and mix well using electric beaters or a stand mixer.
Finely chop the crystallised ginger and fold this, the lime zest and the feijoa mix through the cream cheese mix using a spatula, until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream and icing sugar well, until stiff peaks form. Fold this gently into the cream cheese mix, taking care not to over-combine.
Pour the cheesecake mix over the set base and return to the fridge for ideally 24hours, or at least overnight. If you are feeling fancy, you can decorate the top of your cheesecake with sliced feijoas and/or pieces of crystallised ginger prior to serving.
This cheesecake (ungarnished) will keep well in the fridge for up to a week - if it lasts that long!