by Pia Rowe

Delicious, light little cheesecakes. Limes are in season right now, and they give these cakes a lovely refreshing flavour.

Because I’ve used yoghurt instead of cream, there’s not a hint of stodginess in the filling.

Perfect for Sunday afternoon tea, or a no fuss dessert at a dinner party. Or, as is the case at my house, just because we felt like some cheesecake.

Ingredients

(makes 10)

180g plain sweet biscuits (use GF if required)
80g butter, melted
150g cream cheese
1 cup Greek yoghurt
3/4 – 1 cup sugar
juice of 2 limes
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 gelatine leaves

10 individual decorative muffin or cupcake wrappers. **Please note they need to be the thick, cardboard like material as the paper ones would be too flimsy and wouldn’t hold their shape. Alternatively, you can also use ramekins to set these cakes.

Method

Process the biscuits until fine crumbs.*

Mix in melted butter.

Divide amongst the cupcake wrappers, use your fingers to press it firm and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Using an electric mixer, whisk the cream cheese for a few minutes until fluffy.

Add Greek yoghurt, sugar, lime juice and vanilla essence and keep whisking for a few more minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and doesn’t feel grainy. Adjust sugar to taste.

Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5-8 minutes. Heat up a very small amount of water in a sauce pan (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan). When the water is hot but not boiling, squeeze out the excess water from the soaked leaves and put them in the hot water. They should dissolve immediately. Give it a stir and remove from heat. Add few tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the gelatine and stir. Then pour the gelatine and cream cheese mixture into the rest of the cream cheese and stir quickly.

Pour or spoon the cream cheese filling on the prepared biscuit bases, and set in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

*If you don’t have a food processor, put the biscuits in a freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin.