Saffron and cardamom cheesecake recipe

Need some new dessert inspo? Try this saffron and cardamom cheesecake recipe courtesy of chef Mira Manek…

‘The cheesecake is based on my grandmother’s homemade Shrikhand, one of those deliciously creamy desserts I’d always look forward to as a child,’ says Mira.

‘My grandmother would leave the homemade yoghurt in a muslin cloth all night so that the water was entirely strained and all that was left was thick, pillowy natural yoghurt. She would add sugar, saffron and cardamom, and then pistachios for garnishing. It was and still is as delicious as it is simple. Here, I’ve decided to add a layer and make a cheesecake using those same flavours, with a base that is gluten- and refined sugar-free, using just dates and nuts. And the cheese layer is made mostly of yoghurt and some cream cheese, so it’s much lighter than using cream – the cream cheese helps it stick together!’

Cardamom cheesecake

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

For the base

100g almonds

40g walnuts

150g dates

1tbsp coconut oil

1tbsp almond butter

For the yoghurt layer

500g Total Greek yoghurt

180g Philadelphia cream cheese

4tbsp agave syrup or honey

Pinch, less than ¼tsp saffron

½tsp cardamom powder

To garnish:

Toasted pistachios, chopped or any nuts

Method

1. Start by leaving the Greek yoghurt to strain in a muslin cloth for an hour or overnight in the fridge. You can skip this step if you’re short of time – straining the yoghurt allows the cheesecake to set properly. You can also make the base in advance and leave it to set in the fridge.

2. To make the base, blend the walnuts and almonds to start with in a high-speed blender for a few seconds, then add the dates, coconut oil and almond butter and blend until the nuts are well crushed and the mixture has become quite smooth.

3. If there are large pieces of nuts and dates, this is fine – the base does not need to be entirely smooth. Press this layer into the base of the tin and leave to set in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or longer.

4. Now mix the strained Greek yoghurt, cream cheese, agave syrup or honey, saffron and cardamom, mix thoroughly, and spread evenly over the base layer.

5. Leave to set in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Finish with a sprinkle of pistachios and serve.

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