Mandarin and lychee cheesecake

Mandarins are sweeter than other citrus varieties and are so easy to peel and delicious to eat as a snack that not many of them finish up in desserts. This mandarin topping is a great disguise for plain cheesecakes purchased from the supermarket. Read Jan's article on winter desserts href="http://www.bite.co.nz/hot-topics/in-season/2795/Autumnal-desserts/" target="_blank">here.

Base

125 g	Plain biscuits, crushed
75 g	Melted butter
½ tsp	Mixed spice, ground

Filling

1 Tbsp	Powdered gelatine
2 Tbsp	Water
250 g	Spreadable cream cheese
½ cup	Caster sugar
¼ cup	Lemon juice
¼ cup	Mandarin juice
1 cup	Cream, whipped

Topping

1 packet	Jelly crystals, orange flavoured, approx. 11g
1 cup	Boiling water
6 large	Mandarins, peeled and segmented, pith removed (Main)
1 can	Lychees, approx. 460g, drained and patted dry
75 g	Chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Lightly oil a 22cm round, loose-based cake pan.
2. Combine the biscuit crumbs, butter and mixed spice. Lightly press onto the base of the cake pan. Freeze, until hard.
3. Soak the gelatine in the water for 5 minutes then dissolve in the microwave. Cool.
4. Beat the cream cheese and caster sugar, until soft and smooth. Add the citrus juices plus the cooled gelatine. Mix well. Lightly fold in the whipped cream. Pour onto the base. Chill, until firm.
5. Combine the jelly and boiling water, stirring to dissolve. Stand the bowl over icy water to cool and thicken. Stir often.
6. Cut the cheesecake into 8 wedges. Stand on a cake rack. Arrange the mandarin segments and lychees on the cheesecake wedges.
7. When the jelly is thickened, drizzle over the mandarins and lychees. Place in the refrigerator to set.
8. Melt the chocolate over and drizzle a little over each wedge.

More winter desserts from Jan

• Tamarillo streusel scroll pudding
• Deconstructed crumble with yoghurt