COCONUT CHEESECAKE WITH PASSION FRUIT GLAZE

Coconut Cheesecake with Passion Fruit Glaze image

Provided by Dede Wilson

Categories Cake Egg Dessert Christmas High Fiber Cream Cheese Coconut Mango Pineapple Chill Passion Fruit Christmas Eve Bon Appétit Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free

Yield Makes 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 23

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Ingredients

Crust:
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
8 whole graham crackers, broken
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
Fillling:
4 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese (do not use reduced-fat or fat-free)
2/3 cup sugar
1 15-ounce can cream of coconut (such as Coco López)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
Glaze and compote:
2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
10 passion fruits (about), divided
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
1 cup diced peeled pitted mango
1 cup diced peeled cored pineapple
8 1/3-inch-thick slices star fruit, diced
Ingredient info: Look for cream of coconut in the super market's liquor section.
Special Equipment
1 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4- to 3-inch-high sides

Steps:

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend all ingredients in processor until finely ground and sticking together, 1 to 2 minutes. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 1/2 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter spring form pan with 2 3/4- to 3-inch-high sides. Bake crust until golden, 14 to 15 minutes. Cool crust on rack. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
For filling:
Blend cream cheese in processor until smooth, scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Add sugar. Using on/off turns, process to blend, scraping sides and bottom. Add cream of coconut, vanilla, and salt; blend 20 seconds, stopping to scrape sides. Add eggs 1 at a time; process to blend after each addition. Pour filling into crust.
Bake cheesecake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F. Bake until center is softly set, about 1 hour 35 minutes longer. Turn off oven. Keeping door closed, cool cake in oven 1 hour. Refrigerate cake, uncovered, at least 12 hours or overnight.
For glaze and compote:
Place 2 teaspoons water in small cup; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Place small strainer over 2-cup measuring cup. Reserve 1 passion fruit for compote. Cut remaining passion fruits in half, 1 at a time, and spoon fruit (including seeds) into strainer. Using flexible rubber spatula, press until 1/2 cup pulp (fruit and juices) is released into cup. Reserve a few seeds from strainer for garnish. Pour 1/2 cup passion fruit pulp into small saucepan. Mix in 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and bubbles form at edge of pan. Add gelatin mixture and stir 1 minute to dissolve. Cool 10 minutes; pour into center of cheesecake. Rotate and tilt cake until glaze is spread evenly over top. Sprinkle reserved seeds over glaze. Chill cake to set glaze, at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Combine diced mango, pineapple, star fruit, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl. Mix in fruit (including seeds) from 1 reserved passion fruit. Chill compote until ready to use, up to 2 hours.
Cut around pan sides to release cake. Remove pan sides. Cut cheesecake into wedges. Serve with compote.