Cream/ dessert/ Fruit/ Nut/ Yotam Ottolenghi

Fig, Orange & Mascarpone Cheesecake | Ottolenghi’s Sweet

Figs are not in season. However, the fig, orange and mascarpone cheesecake is well within reach on this Super Bowl weekend. All you need are dried figs, which are available year round. Among other things, this delicious dessert will go well with the fruits, nuts and cheese board to nibble on throughout the game day.

I need to put in a good word for cheeses. The pandemic reveals the fragility in our food supply system. Many of us, farmers and consumers, have moved to a community-supported agriculture (CSA) model. We start buying in earnest a mix of produce in boxes, the exact contents vary each week depending on what the farmers are harvesting. We should continue buying directly from the local farmers. In fact, I’ve discovered and am excited about the diversity of cheese offerings near and far!

I made half of the recipe amount since I didn’t have all the cheeses on hand. The recipe calls for about one pound each of cream cheese and mascarpone cheese. I won’t skimp on the cheese fillings because they are the star ingredients. Rather, the dried figs, orange, walnut and graham cracker base component can be tempered to adjust to your preference. To me, the dried figs I use are coyly sweet. Next time, I’d be extra careful in selecting the dried figs I put in this recipe. Or perhaps reduce the base amount significantly — to just a thin layer on the bottom of the cheesecake.

In other words, I’d play around with the ratio between the fig orange base and the cheese fillings. Treat them separately or independently, if you will. Add and subtract each component to fit the overall theme of your game-day extravaganza. Each a delight to eat or to spread. There is no right or wrong ratio; the recipe is just a suggestion. Afterall, it’s your sweet creation. Ignore temporarily the ethos in competitive sports where there can only be one winner!

Fig, orange and mascarpone cheese on game day

Print Recipe

Fig, Orange & Mascarpone Cheesecake

Ingredients

Cake Base:
3½ oz/ 100g graham crackers, roughly broken
¾ cup/ 80g walnut halves, finely chopped
4 Tbsp/ 60g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
9 oz/ 260g soft dried figs, tough stems removed, sliced into ¼ inch/0.5 cm strips
1 cup plus 1 tbsp/ 250 ml orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
⅛ tsp ground cloves
Cheesecake Filling:
1 lb. 2 oz/500g cream cheese at room temperature
1 lb. 2 oz./500g mascarpone
1¼ cups/250g granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
4 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the base, grease the base and sides of a 9-inch/23 cm round springform pan and line with parchment paper, making sure that the paper rises at least 2 inches/5 cm above the rim; the cake rises a lot in the oven.

Place the graham crackers in a food processor and process to form fine crumbs; the consistency should be that of dried breadcrumbs. Place in a medium bowl and add the walnuts and melted butter. Use your hands or a large spoon to combine; the mixture should be the consistency of wet sand.

Spoon the crumbs into the pan, using your hands to press them into the base, then place in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.

Bake the cake base in a 400°F oven for 8-10 minutes.

Place the figs, orange juice, cinnamon stick and ground cloves in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated but the mixture is still moist. Set aside to cool, remove the cinnamon stick, then spread over the base. Return to the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the filling, place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until smooth. Add mascarpone, sugar, orange zest, egg yolks and vanilla extract to the cheese. Continue to beat until all of the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture looks smooth and creamy, scraping down the paddle and sides of the bowl from time to time, if necessary.

Place the egg whites in a separate mixer bowl and whisk until firm peaks form. Fold a third into the cream cheese mixture, followed by the remaining two-thirds.

Pour the filling over the chilled fig and graham cracker base. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 75-80 minutes, until the cheesecake is a light golden brown at the edges and the center is only just firm. (Try wrapping the bottom of the springform pan with aluminum foil, then place the pan in a bain-marie, or hot water bath. It helps the cheesecake to bake more evenly and avoids formation of raised edges. After baking for 75 minutes, the cake is still slightly wobbly in the middle. Don't worry, it firms as it cools. Alternatively, bake in a convection steam oven also helps.)

Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside for an hour or so, with the door propped open with a wooden spoon. Allow it to come to room temperature before covering in plastic wrap and keeping in the fridge for 4 hours.

When ready to serve, release the springform pan, remove the parchment and transfer to a cake platter.

The cheesecake is best served chilled, straight from the fridge, and cut with a warm knife.