Peach Cheesecake with Peach Syrup

Prep: 25 minutes + four hours - overnight to set

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Crust:

250g Butternut Snap Cookies

80g unsalted butter, melted

 

Cheesecake:

3 teaspoon powdered gelatine

500g cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

250ml thickened cream, whipped

6 Yellow Peaches, peeled, cored, 2 sliced to garnish

Sugar syrup, cooled (1/2 cup sugar, ½ cup water, boiled, then simmer to dissolve)

Optional: Whipped cream, and white chocolate curls, to serve

Method

Crust:

Grease and line a 20cm spring form cake tin

In a food processor, place biscuits and pulse until fine crumbs. Add butter and pulse again to combine. Tip into prepared tin and press firmly into the base. Chill in the fridge until needed

 

Cheesecake:

Place a small heat proof jug in a small saucepan of lightly simmering water

Add 2 tablespoons of water, then sprinkle the gelatine into the jug. Stir to dissolve set aside to cool 5 mins

Meanwhile, place cream cheese, vanilla and sugar into a stand mixer. Beat until smooth. Add the cooled gelatine mix and beat to combine

Gently fold in whipped cream

Pour into prepared pan on top of the biscuit base. Cover and refrigerate until set Minimum 4 hours to overnight

In a medium bowl, puree or mash 2 peaches, add sugar syrup then set aside to infuse.

Place in a sieve over a bowl to strain, set drained syrup aside

To assemble, remove cheesecake from the fridge, use the peaches to decorate, drizzle with the syrup

Summer Snack Time: Aussie Stonefruit Season

The sweet taste of summer has arrived thanks to the start of the Australian stonefruit season, with deliciously juicy peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots arriving in stores across the country.

Thanks to ideal growing conditions, stonefruit lovers can enjoy the fruit from now, through the festive season and well into the new year. The great weather and sunshine has led to sweeter fruit making this year's crop even tastier.

When it comes to choosing the perfect fruit, Chair of Summerfruit Australia and Stonefruit grower Andrew Finlay, shares his advice to ensure you pick a winner.

'Make sure the fruit smells sweet, gives a little under pressure when squeezed, with no soft spots or blemishes. Once you get them home, if they're not quite ripe, let them sit at room temperature. Only put them in the fridge once they're ripe, as the cold stops the ripening process."

'We know Aussies love stonefruit, it's a nostalgic reminder of warm summer days with family and friends. I love nothing more than tucking into a peach or nectarine fresh off the tree as a snack, or slicing them and adding to a summer salad – it gives a lovely texture and tastes delicious."

More than 1,200 farmers across the country from around 26 regions have been working hard to ensure top quality fruit can be enjoyed by Aussies this summer. Aussie stonefruit is extra sweet and juicy thanks to Australia's warm climate and hot, dry summer, with over 100,000 tonnes produced each year.

Five ways to enjoy stonefruit this summer:

On the go: Small, portable and ready to eat, stonefruit are perfect for popping in a lunchbox or bag and eating on the run.

Brekkie bowls: Slice the cheeks and dice into bite-size pieces, then sprinkle on brekkie cereal for a sweet start to the morning.
Get grilling: Once cut into slices, sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar and lightly grill for a tasty snack or dessert.

Sweet treat: Make the most of in season stonefruit with desserts! They're the perfect cake topper and suit most baked dishes, bringing a burst of sweetness to golden, flaky pastries.

Super salads: The sweetness of stonefruit pairs perfectly with a crumbly cheese. Mix both with a sprinkle of chopped nuts in salads for a taste and texture sensation.

For more information about Australian stonefruit, visit:
facebook.com/AustraliaSummerStonefruit/
instagram.com/aussiesummerstonefruit/