Hawaiian Cheesecake

Dib's's Note:

This cheesecake takes a bit of time but it's well worth your effort!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

Crust

• ¾ cup macadamia nuts
• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Filling

• 1 medium ripe pineapple (4 pound range)
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ lbs cream cheese , room temp
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup creme fraiche
• 6 large eggs

Topping

• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions:

1. To make crust: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and dust with granulated sugar-knock out excess.
3. In a shallow baking pan toast nuts in middle of oven until golden, around 6-7 minutes.
4. Be careful though, they can burn fast.
5. Finely chop nuts and transfer to a bowl.
6. Stir in a pinch of salt and all remaining ingredients except butter.
7. Mix well.
8. Melt butter and drizzle over crust mixture, tossing with a fork.
9. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 the way up the sides of pan.
10. Bake crust in middle of oven for 10 minutes.
11. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
12. Set aside.
13. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
14. To make filling: Peel and core pineapple.
15. Cut pineapple into 1/4 inch dice and in a 3 quart saucepan cook with brown sugar over medium low heat, uncovered, for about 40 minutes.
16. You want it cooked down and almost dry-on the sticky side.
17. In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and granulated sugar until fluffy.
18. Add creme fraiche and pineapple, beating until well combined.
19. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating at low speed after each addition until just combined.
20. Pour filling into crust, smoothing top and bake on a baking sheet in middle of oven until filling is set and top is lightly browned, around 80 minutes.
21. Transfer cake in pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
22. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours.
23. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
24. Remove cake from fridge, remove plastic wrap and run a knife around sides.
25. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a serving platter.
26. In a baking pan toast coconut and 1/4 cup of chopped macadamia nuts, stirring occasionally until golden-around 8 minutes.
27. Cool.
28. In a bowl stir together sour cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla.
29. Spread sour cream mixture gently over top of cake.
30. Sprinkle toasted coconut-macadamia nut mixture over top of sour-cream mixture.

Reviews

[The Crazy Chef]

This last weekend we had a family gathering to test recipes for an upcoming luau. This recipe was a huge hit! The cake was very creamy and had a wonderful flavor. I asked everyone at the party to give me honest impressions and this cake was a definate 5 stars. The only complaint I have is the amount of time it takes to make it, but it was well worth the effort. Thanks for the recipe Di.