WATERMELON CHEESECAKE

Grease a 23cm spring form tin with melted butter. Line base with baking paper.

Finely crush biscuits in a food processor. Combine biscuit crumbs, cocoa powder, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Spoon the biscuit mix into the spring form tin and press down using the back of a spoon. Chill for 20-30 minutes, while preparing filling.

Puree the 4 cups of watermelon in a food processor or blender. Combine the watermelon with the sugar in a saucepan, and allow to boil and become tender, for about 5 minutes. Push the puree through a sieve, discard the pulp and any seeds. Add the food colouring, if desired.

Combine the gelatine and water. Leave to swell for 5 minutes.

Beat cream cheese until soft. Add sour cream and honey. Beat until well combined in the bowl of a food processor. Add the vanilla seeds and ¼ cup of the watermelon syrup and soaked gelatine. Beat until well combined. Fold in the 2 cups of watermelon. Spoon filling into prepared base. Chill for 20-30 minutes.

Soak the second measure of gelatin in 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Add the gelatin mix into the warm watermelon syrup and stir until dissolved. Pour the jelly syrup over the top of the cheesecake. Leave to set for 1-2 hours before serving.

Garnish with extra slices of watermelon, and keep chilled until ready to serve.

WATERMELON

Juicy, colourful and delicious, there’s no summertime fruit quite like watermelon.

• grass Gisborne
• Jan – Mar
• check Source of Potassium
• check Source of Vitamin C

• 4 cups cubed LeaderBrand Watermelon, skin and seeds removed
• 2 cups LeaderBrand Watermelon, cut into small cubes
• 250g Super Wine biscuits
• 2 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 120g butter, melted
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1-2 drops red food colouring (optional)
• 4 tsp gelatine
• 4 tbsp water
• 500g cream cheese
• 250g sour cream
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 2 teaspoons gelatin
• Extra slices LeaderBrand Watermelon, to serve