Baked Mango Cheesecake

I am into a mad cheesecake-making frenzy which, by the way, lasted for about a day. I call it the cheesecake day. Also, I accidentally bought 4 mangoes. I actually wanted just 1 mango to satisfy that mango craving which I believe is quite a normal phenomenon, but it just so happen that fruit uncle sells mango in bunches of 4 and 8. (I think Thailand mangoes are in season. I see them everywhere.) Naturally, being the only one left in the house since my mum went off on a business trip, I took the smaller package. Therefore, I am left to deal with the remaining three mangoes. Which prompted me to make mango cheesecakes.

I think this particular cheesecake is special in a way that unlike most mango cheesecake (or those that I know of), it is baked with the mango. And unlike most baked mango cheesecake, this recipe does not puree, does not demand for mango essence, for good reason. At the time of baking, I was too lazy to puree the mango, and I did not have mango essence with me. To simply things, I chopped the mango into large cubes and pop them into the cheesecake mix. haha.

The cheesecake recipe is taken from Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking. Out of all my baked cheesecake recipes, including the one from LCB, I like this the best. Why? Because it balances itself well between the richness of the cheese and lightness of the eggs. I must warn though, hardcore cheese-lovers and ardent advocates of airy light cakes might not like this very moderate cheesecake.

Serves 6, use an 18cm loose-bottomed tin

100g digestive biscuits
40g unsalted butter
250g cream cheese
90g granulated sugar
2 eggs
200ml double cream
3 tablespoons sifted plain flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 mango, chopped to cubes

Method:

1. Make sure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. Line the cake tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and roughly crush them with a rolling pin.

3. Soften the butter and mix with the biscuit crumbs.

4. Pour the biscuit mix into the bottom of the tin and press down lightly to make the base. Preheat oven to 170 degree Celsius.

5. In a bowl, add the cream cheese, beat until soft with an electric mixer then add the rest of the ingredients, in order, mixing each one thoroughly first before adding the next.

6. Continue until the mixture thickens, then half the mixture into the cake tin on top of the biscuit base.

7. Drop the mango cubes evenly across the half filled cake tin.

8. Pour the remaining mixture into the cake tin to cover the mango cubes. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown. When you insert a skewer into the center of the cake, it should come out clean.

9. Once it has cooled, remove from the tin, discard the lining paper and leave on a rack to cool completely.

Note: When you take the cake out of the oven it is very light and soft like a souffle, but once it has cooled down it becomes creamy and smooth. If you then refrigerate it, it becomes thick and rich. Interesting huh.

Enjoy!