Cheesecakes aren’t only for the sweet-toothed! We give this creamy favourite a shake, rattle and roll and present you with a lip-smacking savoury cheesecake.
A savoury twist on a classic favourite, this cheesecake pairs the sweetness of slow-cooked onions with the rich, meaty depth of biltong. Fresh thyme adds an aromatic lift, while the creamy filling balances indulgence with comfort.
Perfect as a show-stopping starter, a stylish addition to a grazing table, or even served with crisp greens for a light yet luxurious meal.
Caramelised onion, biltong and thyme cheesecake
Ingredients
CHEESECAKE BASE
- 125g Salticrax Salted Crackers
- 85g butter, melted
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 3 x 250g tubs cream cheese
- 15ml (1 tbsp) cake flour
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 1 extra-large egg yolk
- 80g biltong, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, peeled, sliced and caramelised (see ‘Cook’s tip’)
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- microherbs, to garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 250°C. Oil and line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
For the base, blend the Salticrax to a fine crumb and fold in the melted butter. Press the crumb mixture into the base of the prepared tin.
For the filling, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the flour and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the biltong slices, caramelised onion and thyme sprigs. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and bake in the preheated oven, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 100°C and bake for a further hour. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool, 1 hour.
Refrigerate the cheesecake to set and cool completely, 1 hour.
Once set, loosen the sides of the cheesecake using a palette knife and place on a platter. Serve garnished with microherbs.
Notes
To caramelise an onion, heat a little olive oil in a pan and caramelise the onion slices over very low heat, about 1 hour.
ALSO SEE: BANANA BREAD WITH BILTONG BUTTER
Banana bread with biltong butter
Recipe and styling by Sarah Dall
Photograph by Myburgh du Plessis
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
