Nectarine Cheesecake Parfaits

Ingredients

• (yield: 4-6 jars, depending on size)
• To make the BISCUIT BASE for the Cheesecake:
• half a pack of digestive biscuits (crushed finely)
• 1 tablespoon honey (warmed in the microwave)
• 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• To make the CHEESECAKE:
• 300g cream cheese (I used full cream)
• 2 L eggs
• ½ cup of white granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 & ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 – 3 Fresh Nectarines cut into small cubes
• To make the ITALIAN MERINGUE:
• 1 cup of white granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 L egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• pinch of salt
• 1&½ tablespoon granulated white sugar
• ¡Clic aquí para ver/imprimir la receta en Español!

Instructions

1. To make the BISCUIT BASE for the Cheesecake:
2. Pre-heat your oven to 325ºF/165ºC. Mix the crushed biscuit crumbs with the heated honey and olive oil until well mixed. Add to each jar (as much or as little as you like). Use a small shot glass to press the mixture down evenly. Bake for 5 minutes, remove from the oven and start preparing the cheesecake mixture.
3. To make the CHEESECAKE:
4. To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese on medium high speed in the bowl on an electric mixer until fluffy. Blend in the sugar until smooth. Add the salt and vanilla. Beat in the eggs 1 x 1, making sure they are well incorporated. Pour the mixture into the jars until 2/3 full and bake for 22 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. They will look quite puffed initially but will return to normal when they start to cool down. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack and let them cool until room temperature.
5. Add the cubed Nectarines (divide evenly between your jars)
6. In a heavy bottom saucepan, add 1/3 cup sugar & water and stir to wet the sugar. Once mixed do not stir anymore, you can swirl occasionally but no stirring. Heat the sugar and water on medium-high heat. Dip pastry brush in cold water and wash down any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pot. At the same time start whisking your egg whites in a grease-free mixing bowl (not plastic) on medium-low until they start to foam, once foaming add the cream of tartar and salt and increase the speed to medium-high. When soft peaks form slowly add 1 & ½ tablespoons of sugar. Continue whipping until glossy. During this process check on your sugar syrup, when it has thickened and thick bubbles have become larger and pop open slower, just before the mixture turns brown your syrup is ready. This is the firm ball stage. If you dont have a sugar thermometer you can test to see if it is ready by dropping a small bit of the syrup into a glass of cold water, it will form into a ball. When you squeeze the ball between your fingertips it will feel firm and you will know it is ready. Slowly pour the syrup onto the glossy egg whites in a thin steady stream with your mixture on low, be careful not to pour on the whisk or sides of the bowl. Continue to beat on high until the bowl is cold. This could take several minutes. Once ready, heat your broiler/grill in your oven, fill your piping bag with the meringue and pipe a generous amount on top of each parfait, allow to “toast” in the oven for a few minutes, check it closely to ensure it doesn´t burn. Now they are ready to eat! Be prepared for a serious sensation of flavours! These are super YUMMY!