Ban-almond double crunch
cheesecake with tropical fruits
Clasped between two layers of deeply toasted buttery almond
crust, this cheesecake celebrates both the happy coupling of
banana and nuts and the crunch-squidge-crunch I adore so
much! My favourite scent for the filling is finely grated tonka
bean – a kind of vanilla/almond hybrid flavour.

Dress it up with extra cream and a crown of tropical fruits. Or
leave it as an unfruited and simple snack cake that makes you
sigh with happiness each time you open the fridge. As with all
things banana, this will only be as banana-y as the bananas you
choose to use. Find the heavily speckled to the totally black-
skinned, but avoid the scary smooshy ones that smell fermented.

Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F). Line a shallow baking tray with
baking paper.

Start the crumb base by chopping the almonds finely by hand. Melt
the butter (stovetop or microwave), then combine with the almonds
and the remaining crumb ingredients in a wide mixing bowl. Mix
together with your hands to very damp clumps.

Double-crust cheesecakes work best with a more buttery, moist crumb that
are sturdier and prevent a too-dry, crumbly top crust.

Scatter the mix onto the tray and bake for 15 minutes. Take the tray
out and, using a metal spoon, stir and break up the mix to help the
crumb brown evenly (it can darken faster on the base). Return to the
oven and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, then cool.

Reduce the oven to 130°C (265°F). While the crumb cools, start
the cheesecake mix by putting the banana flesh, sugar, lemon juice
and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Whiz to a smooth liquid.

Sometimes a chunk of banana will refuse to break down. Don’t stress,
it will yield when the cream cheese is added.

Adding the lemon juice with the banana will stop the flesh from oxidising.

continued …

Keeps Eat soon after decorating,

as the fruit can oxidise quickly.
The un-decorated cheesecake can
be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Don’t freeze.

Makes A cake for 10–12 people.

Takes Start the day before so the

baked cheesecake can chill to set
overnight. Make the crumb up to
3 days before to get a head start.
cooking oil spray
Toasted almond crumb
80 g (2¾ oz) raw (natural)
almonds, skin on
100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter,
roughly chopped
80 g (2¾ oz) light brown sugar
120 g (4½ oz) plain
(all-purpose) flour
2 g (¹⁄₁₆oz/¼ teaspoon) fine
sea salt
Cheesecake filling
300 g (10½ oz) ripe banana
(approx. 2–3 large),
roughly torn
120 g (4½ oz) caster (superfine)
sugar
20 g/ml (¾ oz) lemon juice
1 g (¹⁄₃₂oz/⅛ teaspoon) fine
sea salt
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) full-fat cream
cheese, room temperature
200 g (7 oz) egg (approx.
4 eggs)
50 g (1¾ oz) crème fraîche
1 tonka bean*
Tropical fruit topping
2 limes
40 g (1½ oz) caster (superfine
sugar)
tropical fruits – passionfruit,
pineapple, mango