Thuli Gogela’s version of cheesecake showcases Mzansi creativity at its delicious best. The inventive foodie and blogger has used as her inspiration, a traditional Zulu dish, Isijingi made with maize-meal and butternut and transformed it into a sublime dessert that’s a cross between a cheesecake, fridge tart and a pumpkin pie.
Turn up the indulgence dial and serve with Nederburg’s Winemaster’s Reserve Special Late Harvest, that’s a feast of the senses, from the winking golden colour to the fragrance of citrus blossom and ripe fruit, all the way through to the splurge of apricot and pineapple flavours in the mouth.
Treat yourself!
Recipe: No-bake Isijingi Cheesecake with Raspberry Compote, paired with Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Special Late Harvest
“Isijingi is a traditional dish from the Zulu culture. Sothos call it Setjetsa. It is prepared with a mixture of maize-meal and pumpkin and served on its own, as a side dish or as breakfast porridge,” says Thuli Gogela.
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
Isijingi cheesecake
200g (1 packet) digestive whole-wheat biscuits
45ml (3 Tbsp) salted butter, melted
750ml (3 cups) butternut, chopped
500ml (2 cups) low fat milk
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
80ml (⅓ cup) quick cooking maize meal
80ml (⅓ cup) cold water
90ml (5 Tbsp) light brown sugar
1ml salt
2.5ml (½ tsp) ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
230g tub of low fat cream cheese
15ml (1 Tbsp) powdered gelatine
45ml (3 Tbsp) boiling water
Raspberry compote
375ml (1½ cup) fresh raspberries, plus extra for garnishing
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
45ml (3 Tbsp) sugar
30ml (2 Tbsp) fresh lemon juice
Rind of ½ lemon, finely grated
Method:
Isijingi cheesecake
- Using a food processor, crumble the biscuits until fine in texture, add the butter and mix until fully combined. Alternatively, put the biscuits into a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until fine in texture. Transfer into a bowl and combine with the butter.
- Lightly grease a 21cm spring form pan and press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Keep the pan in the fridge until needed.
- Cook the butternut in the milk and water in a pot on a hot stove until soft. Tilt the lid of the saucepan to avoid spillage.
- Use a stick blender to purée the butternut while it is still in the pot. Make a paste with maize meal and boiling water. Remove the pot from the stove and whisk the paste with the puréed pumpkin.
- Lower the heat, and return the pot to the stove. Cover with the lid and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the stove, and whisk in the sugar, salt, spices and cream cheese.
- Dissolve the gelatine in boiling water until smooth. Add to the isijingi mixture in the pot and set aside.
- Pour the isijingi mixture onto the crust in the spring form pan, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Release the side of the pan, gently remove the cheesecake and place on a serving plate. Slice into wedges.
Raspberry compote
- In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, water, sugar, lemon juice and rind.
- Heat to boil on a hot stove and then reduce the heat to allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes or until a syrup is formed.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Serve the cheesecake slices with raspberry compote and garnish with fresh raspberries. Enjoy with Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Special Late Harvest.
