Coconut Cheesecake with Passion Fruit Glaze

Ingredients

• •2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• •8 whole graham crackers
• •¼ cup sugar
• •¼ cup unsalted butter
• •4 packages cream cheese
• •⅔ cup sugar
• •1 can cream of coconut
• •¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• •⅛ teaspoon salt
• •5 large eggs
• •2 teaspoons water
• •¼ teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• •10 whole passion fruits
• •3 tablespoons sugar
• •1 cup mango
• •1 cup pineapple
• •8 slices star fruit
• •note
• •1 pan springform pan

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend all ingredients in processor until finely ground and sticking together, 1 to 2 minutes. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 1/2 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter spring form pan with 2 3/4- to 3-inch-high sides. Bake crust until golden, 14 to 15 minutes. Cool crust on rack. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

   15 min

2. 2.

   Blend cream cheese in processor until smooth, scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Add sugar. Using on/off turns, process to blend, scraping sides and bottom. Add cream of coconut, vanilla, and salt; blend 20 seconds, stopping to scrape sides. Add eggs 1 at a time; process to blend after each addition. Pour filling into crust.

   10 min

3. 3.

   Bake cheesecake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F. Bake until center is softly set, about 1 hour 35 minutes longer. Turn off oven. Keeping door closed, cool cake in oven 1 hour. Refrigerate cake, uncovered, at least 12 hours or overnight.

   165 min

4. 4.

   Place 2 teaspoons water in small cup; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Place small strainer over 2-cup measuring cup. Reserve 1 passion fruit for compote. Cut remaining passion fruits in half, 1 at a time, and spoon fruit (including seeds) into strainer. Using flexible rubber spatula, press until 1/2 cup pulp (fruit and juices) is released into cup. Reserve a few seeds from strainer for garnish. Pour 1/2 cup passion fruit pulp into small saucepan. Mix in 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and bubbles form at edge of pan. Add gelatin mixture and stir 1 minute to dissolve. Cool 10 minutes; pour into center of cheesecake. Rotate and tilt cake until glaze is spread evenly over top. Sprinkle reserved seeds over glaze. Chill cake to set glaze, at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

   90 min

5. 5.

   Combine diced mango, pineapple, star fruit, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl. Mix in fruit (including seeds) from 1 reserved passion fruit. Chill compote until ready to use, up to 2 hours.

   10 min

6. 6.

   Cut around pan sides to release cake. Remove pan sides. Cut cheesecake into wedges. Serve with compote.

   5 min