Valentine's Passion, Passion Fruit Cheesecake

It's Valentines Day! The day of love and couples rekindling their passion for each other.

These days, so many of us are watching our weight, and if we have eaten a heavy romantic dinner, we may be looking for something lighter and more refreshing to sweeten our palatte.

The first time I had passionfruit cheesecake was in Australia, where passionfruit is abundant in the summertime. It was very light, packed full of flavour, and rather unique.

Since this is the time of year for "passion", I thought I'd present this recipe for you and wish you a most passionate Valentine's Day with the one you love.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Happy Cooking, Happy Eating!

Ingredients:
6 shortbread cookies (to fit base of ramekin - Scottish shortbread is best)
1 cup cream cheese, broken up
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 TBSP lime juice
2/3 cup passionfruit pulp
1 TBSP sweet, unsalted butter (for greasing)

Topping:
1 cup passion fruit juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons sugar
Pulp and seeds from a fresh passion fruit

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 325*F
2. Grease each ramekin with sweet unsalted butter.
3. Place 1 shortbread round in each ramekin. If shortbread biscuit does not fit ramekin exactly, break off some biscuit pieces from another shortbread and fill space until base is covered.
4. In a food processor, mix together cream cheese, ricotta, eggs, sugar and lime juice until the mixture becomes smooth.
5. Stir through the fresh passionfruit pulp until evenly dispersed.
6. Spoon mixture into each ramekin dish - enough to fill the dish. The mixture won't rise.
7. Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes.
8. Cool and then set in the refrigerator until cooled completely. Bring to room temperature and then gently remove cakes from ramekins and place right side up with the shortcake biscuit on the bottom. Replace back in the fridge.

Topping Method:
1. Put half the passion fruit juice and all the lime juice in a medium bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Don't stir. Set aside until the gelatin "blooms", about 1 minute.
2. Boil the remaining passion fruit juice and all of the sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Whisk the hot juice into the gelatin mixture until smooth. Refrigerate until just begins to set, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the fresh passion fruit pulp and seeds and spoon over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

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