Coconut Cheesecake
Recipe By: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • FOR THE CRUST
  • 1½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs
  • 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • heaping ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedFOR THE FILLING
  • 1½ pounds (3 packages) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.50 ounces cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (use the same amount of pure vanilla extract if you don’t have vanilla bean paste!)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 7 ounces coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon coconut extractFOR THE COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
  • 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • ¼ teaspoon coconut extract
  • ½ cup toasted coconut, for topping
Preparation Instructions
  1. First, prepare your springform pan. I always bake cheesecake in a water bath so of course the pan must be covered to keep the water out. I do this by lining the interior of the pan with 2 sheets of tin foil and then covering the exterior also with 2 sheets of tin foil. This also makes it pretty easy to remove the cheesecake for serving.TO MAKE THE CRUST
  2. Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and coconut in a food processor or blender and pulse until combined and the coconut is chopped.
  3. Add the butter and pulse just until all the crumbs are coated and will just barely stick together when pressed.
  4. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 10″ springform pan. Bake at 350˚ for about 10 minutes, just until the crust is set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the filling.TO MAKE THE FILLING
  5. Lower the oven temperature to 325˚ and bring a teapot of water to boil.
  6. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla paste, beat just until combined.
  7. Then with the mixer on the lowest speed, add the eggs about a tablespoon at a time.
  8. Then add the coconut milk and extract.
  9. Pour the filling into the crust and then place the springform into a large roasting pan. Place the roasting pan into the oven and then pour the boiling hot water from the teapot into the orating pan, be careful not to get any in the cheesecake! Fill until the water comes about a quarter of the way up the outside of the springform pan. Close the oven and bake until just set, it should still be jiggly, about an hour.
  10. When the cheesecake is done, do not remove from the oven, simply turn the oven off and crack the door open. Cheesecakes need to cool very slowly or they will crack. I usually allow mine to cool like this for about an hour. Then remove it from the roasting pan and set out of the counter for another hour or so. Then into the fridge overnight.FOR THE COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM
  11. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and coconut extract. Beat on high until soft peak begin to form.
  12. Slowly drizzle the coconut milk in.TO SERVE
  13. Very carefully remove the sides from the springform pan. Peel the sides of the foil down from the cheesecake and very carefully slide your hand between the bottom of the cheesecake and the foil. Place on a serving dish and then top with the whipped cream and toasted coconut.
Recipe by Foods of Our Lives at https://www.foodsofourlives.com/2012/02/coconut-cheesecake/