Page 75 - Through the eyes of an African chef

Baobab cheesecake with blueberry reduction
Baobab fruit is a very rare fruit in South Africa, but grows well in Limpopo, the northern-most province of South Africa, which is known for its bushveld and wildlife reserves.
Baobab is a greenish pod with a powdery, white fruit on the inside. It’s believed to have five times more vitamin C than oranges, double the calcium levels of milk, more potassium than bananas, and loads of antioxidants. As if the list of health benefits isn’t long enough, baobab is also high in magnesium and iron.
I have explored various preparations of baobab, including a tasty smoothie. This baobab cheesecake decked with berries in season is too delicious to omit from my book. Blueberries give wonderful colour to this healthy, yet indulgent cheesecake, and they complement the sweet and slightly tangy flavour of baobab.
INSTRUCTIONS
For the blueberry reduction: In a pan over medium heat, bring to the boil blueberries, sugar, water, lemon juice and zest. Let it boil for 8 minutes. The fruit will swell and burst (which is what you want) while they are softening. Lower the heat and simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool completely before blending.
After blending, pour the liquid into a bowl through a sieve. Use a spatula to get all the juices through, then discard the solids. Remove the amount of liquid you need for the reduction, and pour the remaining syrup into clean, sterilised bottles for future use; seal and refrigerate for up to 6 months.
For the cheesecake: Melt the butter over low heat in a small pot. Crush the biscuits into crumbs, then add the melted butter (allow to cool a bit first). Blend, then press the mixture into the base of a greased 26cm springform tin. Refrigerate until set.
Mix all the cheeses, castor sugar and baobab powder until smooth. Carefully spoon the mixture onto the crushed biscuit base. Cover the tin with foil and refrigerate for 2–3 hours.
TO SERVE
Finish with a thin layer of blueberry reduction and whole blueberries. Garnish with edible flowers, and serve.
INGREDIENTS
For the blueberry reduction
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sugar (for the berries) 1 cup water
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice Grated rind of 1 lemon
For the cheesecake
90g butter
250g digestive biscuits
920g smooth cottage cheese 750g thick full fat cream cheese 100g mascarpone cheese
2 cups castor sugar
200g baobab powder
Edible flowers to garnish
THROUGH THE EYES OF AN AFRICAN CHEF
SERVES 8–10
PREPARATION TIME 15 MINS COOKING TIME 17 MINS REFRIGERATE 21⁄2–31⁄2 HRS
[ chapter three ] DESSERTS 73