Mulled Wine Jelly Cheesecake Tart

We’ve turned the classic festive drink into a jelly cheesecake tart, perfect for a hot Aussie Christmas.

Ingredients

250g gingernut biscuits
125g unsalted butter, melted
80g (1/2 cup) roasted macadamias, plus extra, coarsely chopped, to decorate
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
5 gelatine leaves
125g cream cheese, at room temperature, chopped
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
100ml crème fraîche
2 tbsp milk
250ml (1 cup) red wine
125g (1 cup) fresh or frozen cherries
125g (1 cup) fresh or frozen blackberries, plus extra fresh, some halved, to decorat
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp mixed spice

Method

1. Place biscuits in a food processor. Process until finely crushed. Add butter, macadamia, coconut and a pinch of sea salt. Pulse until nuts are finely chopped and mixture is well combined. Transfer mixture to a 22cm fluted tart tin with removable base. Use a straightsided glass to spread and press mixture firmly over base and up side of tin. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm.
2. Soak 1 gelatine leaf in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Meanwhile, use electric beaters to beat cream cheese, vanilla and half the sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add crème fraîche and beat until combined.
4. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Squeeze excess liquid from softened gelatine then place in hot milk. Stir until dissolved. Fold milk mixture into cream cheese mixture until smooth. Spread over tart shell and place in fridge for 1 hour or until set.
5. Combine the wine, 80ml (1/3 cup) water, cherries, blackberries, cinnamon stick, mixed spice and remaining sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced slightly. Transfer wine mixture to a heatproof dish. Set aside to cool completely. Strain, discarding fruit and cinnamon stick.
6. Soak remaining gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes or until softened. Heat 60ml (1/4 cup) wine mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Squeeze excess liquid from softened gelatine then place in hot wine mixture. Stir until dissolved then pour into remaining wine mixture and stir. Carefully pour over the back of a spoon over the cheesecake layer. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until set.
7. Scatter extra macadamia and blackberry over the tart to serve.