A long time between recipe posts meant that I really wanted to make sure that this one was a cracker. Christmas time too, so it couldn’t be more appropriate! Being from Hawke’s Bay means an abundance of fresh stone fruit, so much sometimes that I don’t actually know what to do with it. This recipe is great because it doesn’t require cooking the fruit; it stays fresh and mostly in its natural state. You can basically add whatever extra fruit you want, meaning that the dish can be really colourful. There are a few components to it meaning it is a bit time consuming / dishes intensive (although these steps are relatively basic), but it results in everyone thinking you are an amazing chef… even when you’re not!

Collect 

• Short crust pastry
• For the cheesecake:
  • 250 g whipped cream
  • 1/4 c sour cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 T sugar
  • 1 t vanilla extract
• For the curd:
  • 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1/3 c fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 c caster sugar
  • 1/2 c butter at room temperature
• For the glaze:
  • 1.5 c cold water
  • 2 T sugar
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1 T corn starch
  • 4 large nectarines
  • 1 c blueberries

Create

1. 180°C fan bake. Grease a pie/tart dish and then line with the pastry. Blind bake in the oven for 15 minutes, and then remove the rice/chick peas and bake for another 10 minutes. Cool.
2. Prepare the cheesecake filling by placing all ingredients into a bowl and mixing (I used an electric beater) until light and fluffy. Pour over the crust and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Remove from heat and let it cool at room temperature.
3. Make the lemon curd by placing the egg, yolks, sugar and lemon juice into a small pan. Whisk well until just combined and then cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add in the butter and whisk until smooth. Let it cool at room temperature.
4. Make the glaze by putting the water, sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan. Heat until boiling and then simmer. Remove about 1/2 c and whisk in the cornstarch. Pour mixture into the saucepan and continue cooking over the heat until the mixture thickens. Cool.
5. Spread the lemon curd over the cooled cheesecake filling. Layer the thinly sliced nectarines over the top of the curd and sprinkle with the blueberries. Using a spoon, spread the glaze over the fruit (it will stop it from going brown).
6. Refrigerate until serving.