When weather is hot and humid as it's been lately on the East Coast, last thing you want to do is turn the oven no.
With that in mind, here's an oven free cake recipe from The New Persian Kitchen (Ten Speed Press, Spring 2013) by Louisa Shafia
No-Bake Persimmon and Goat Cheese Cheesecake
Whenever I bring home persimmons, I always imagine that I’ll work them into an artful, sophisticated dish. But their coral color and honeysuckle flavor are so alluring that as soon as they ripen, I invariably tear into one raw, scooping out the flesh in sheer, uninhibited delight. Perhaps that’s why I’ve created a dessert that leaves the pure flavor of persimmons intact. This airy cheesecake requires no cooking, and the sauce is simply pureed persimmons.
Make the cheesecake at least 4 hours before serving, or even the day before, so it’s firm and easy to slice. Try substituting ripe mangoes or peaches for the persimmons; because both of these fruits hold their shape, you can puree enough to go inside the cake and dice the rest to use as a topping.
Makes one 10-inch cake
1/2 cup heavy cream
11/2 cups pistachios, toasted
1 cup crushed graham crackers
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
Sea salt
5 very ripe hachiya persimmons
1 pound fresh goat cheese, at room temperature, crumbled
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Lightly oil a 10-inch springform pan with coconut oil.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream into stiff peaks. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside in the refrigerator. Replace the mixer bowl without washing.
In a food processor, combine the pistachios and graham crackers with 3 tablespoons of the coconut oil, the cinnamon, the cardamom, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Add a pinch of salt and pulse until the mixture clumps easily. Transfer to the springform pan and spread evenly over the bottom. Press down with the bottom of a juice glass to pack it down evenly.
Scoop the flesh from the persimmons and puree in a blender until smooth. Set aside 1/2 cup of the puree, and store the rest in the refrigerator.
Combine the goat cheese, the remaining 3/4 cup coconut oil, and the remaining 1 cup sugar in the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth. Fold in the 1/2 cup persimmon puree, the lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and smooth the top. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, until firm.
To serve, remove the pan sides and cut the cheesecake into wedges. Garnish each serving with a generous spoonful of the persimmon puree. The cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
(* Excerpted from 'The New Persian Kitchen' by Louisa Shafia-published by Ten Speed Press, Spring 2013- Photography by Sara Remington)