Pear and Port Cheesecake
200g sweet biscuit crumbs
2 1.2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
90g melted butter
2 tsp gelatine
Filling:
125g packet cream cheese
250 g ricotta cheese
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup cream
Spiced Pears:
2 cups port
1 cup water
1/2 cup caster sugar
10 cm cinnamon stick
2 x 6cm pieces lemon rind
2 medium pears, peeled quartered
Grease a deep 23cm flan tin. Combine biscuits, ginger, sugar and butter in medium bowl. Press over base and side of prepared tin, refrigerate 30 minutes.
Filling:
Beat cheeses and sugar till smooth; add eggs and cream, beat until combined. Place flan tin on oven tray. Spoon filling onto the crumb crust. Bake in moderately slow oven for 40 minutes or until firm; cool
Spiced Pears:
Combine all ingredients except the pears in a pan, stir over heat until dissolved. Add pears simmer for about 10 minutes. Cool
Drain pears and reserve liquid. Slice pears thinly and arrange over top of cheesecake. Place reserved liquid in pan and boil uncovered until reduced to 1 cup. Discard cinnamon stick and rind. Sprinkle with gelatine stir till dissolved. Strain and refrigerate until thick and syrupy. Pour gelatine mix over pears refrigerate til set.