Ninja Cheesecake

A community recipe by Mandy_C

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

Introduction

Isn't it true that some of the best recipes come from creative ways of using leftovers? I cobbled this cheesecake together to use up half a tin of caramelised condensed milk and some digestives that were lurking in the biscuit tin. It was christened Ba-ginger-noffee cheesecake which, after a few glasses of wine, was corrupted by my friends into Ninja cheesecake. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. As is the way with this type of 'thrown together' recipe, I wasn't measuring as I went. All the measurements given are my best guess, but it's really more a question of flavouring and sweetening the cheese mixture to your own taste. Have fun!

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric Cups

12 digestive biscuits
25 grams butter
2 bananas
200 grams condensed milk (caramelised, approximately 1/2 a 397g tin - or dulce de leche)
250 grams mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons cream cheese (light, heaped tablespoons)
2 tablespoons icing sugar
stem ginger in syrup (3 knobs, finely diced)
1 tablespoon ginger syrup

12 graham crackers
1 ounce butter
2 bananas
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (caramelised, approximately 1/2 a 397g tin - or dulce de leche)
9 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons cream cheese (light, heaped tablespoons)
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
stem ginger in syrup (3 knobs, finely diced)
1 tablespoon ginger syrup

Method

Ninja Cheesecake is a community recipe submitted by Mandy_C and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Whizz the digestive biscuits in a food processor, until they look like coarse breadcrumbs.

Melt the butter (i find the microwave easiest). Slowly pour the butter into the crushed biscuits, mixing as you go, until the mixture looks and feels like damp sand.

Divide the mixture into 4 individual tart cases. I used loose-leaf ones, but any tart case or ramekin would be fine. Press the biscuit mixture into the base and sides of the tart cases. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

Meanwhile, make the cheesecake topping. Mix the mascarpone cheese and cream cheese together in a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of syrup from the jar of stem ginger, and stir through. Sift in some icing sugar, a spoonful at a time to sweeten the mixture to your own taste. Remember it will be sitting on top of a layer of toffee, so don't over-sweeten it!

Finally, stir through the diced stem ginger. Check you are happy with the taste, and adjust accordingly.

Once the biscuit base has chilled and hardened, spread a quarter of the toffee over each biscuit base (this is easiest if the toffee is at room temperature). Don't worry about getting it perfectly smooth, or right into the edges. Just be gentle so you don't break the biscuit base.

Divide the cheesecake mixture between the four tart cases, heaping it in the middle and spreading it out gently to the edges. I prefer a craggy mound, rather than a flat and even surface.

Return the cheesecakes to the fridge until ready to eat (but for at least 30 minutes). Just before serving slice the bananas, and scatter them on top of the cheesecakes. Sit back, and wait for your guests to declare their undying love for you.

Whizz the graham crackers in a food processor, until they look like coarse breadcrumbs.

Melt the butter (i find the microwave easiest). Slowly pour the butter into the crushed biscuits, mixing as you go, until the mixture looks and feels like damp sand.

Meanwhile, make the cheesecake topping. Mix the mascarpone cheese and cream cheese together in a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of syrup from the jar of stem ginger, and stir through. Sift in some confectioners' sugar, a spoonful at a time to sweeten the mixture to your own taste. Remember it will be sitting on top of a layer of toffee, so don't over-sweeten it!

Finally, stir through the diced stem ginger. Check you are happy with the taste, and adjust accordingly.

Divide the cheesecake mixture between the four tart cases, heaping it in the middle and spreading it out gently to the edges. I prefer a craggy mound, rather than a flat and even surface.