Eggless Mango Cheesecake

Cheesecake is not really a favorite, but I wanted to try a recipe of cheesecake; just for knowing if I can make it! Strange, isn't it? But when the 'cooking-bug' bites, then there is no logic!!

All the cheesecake recipes had upto 4 eggs or gelatine.
Since we are moving from being eggatarian to complete vegetarian, it was a no-no.

And cream cheese. What was that?! Mostly unavailable in the stores of India; very expensive at gourmet stores.

Good Food Magazine, January 2015 issue had a recipe of 'salted caramel swirl cheesecake' using paneer / Indian cottage cheese and had no eggs or gelatine. PERFECT!! And the recipe was very easy.

I substitued the carmel with mango jam and fresh mango.

Oven temperature : 160 C

Ingredients:
Marie Biscuit - 100 gms
Butter - 25 gms, melted + extra
Powdered Sugar - 80 + 20 gms
Paneer - 400 gms
Fresh Cream - 100 gms
Vanilla essence - 3 drops
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Mango Jam - 5 tbsp
Freshly cut mango for garnish

Method:
Preheat oven for 10 minutes.

Powder the marie biscuit and add the 20 gms sugar. Mix well.
Add the melted butter to the powdered biscuit and mix well.
Grease a 18 cm loose bottomed round cake tin with the extra butter.
Press the biscuit mixture at the bottom of the tin and level it.
Bake for 5 minutes and remove. Cool to room temperature.

Blend together the paneer, corn flour, vanilla essence and fresh cream with 80 gms of sugar until smooth and well combined.

Once the base cools, pour 3/4 of the paneer mixture into the cake tin over the biscuit layer. Spread evenly.
Top with the mango jam and spread this also evenly over the paneer.
Top with rest of the paneer and level again.

Cover with an aluminium foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Place a small oven proof vessel filled with water next to the cake tin to prevent the surface of the cheesecake from cracking.
After 35 minutes, remove aluminium foil and bake for a further 15-20 minutes. The middle will be slightly wobbly.
Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate covered and before serving, top with freshly cut mangoes.