Black Sesame Cheesecake with Plum Compote

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the sesame crust

   Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant, then let them cool and grind them finely. Crush the biscuits and mix them with the melted butter and ground sesame. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 22 cm cake pan.

   
2. 2

   Pre-bake the crust

   Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 170 °C. Remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 °C.

   
3. 3

   Mix the filling

   Mix the cream cheese with the sour cream and sugar just until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix briefly to avoid incorporating too much air into the filling.

   
4. 4

   Bake the cheesecake

   Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top. Bake at 160 °C for about 55–60 minutes; the edges should be set, while the center should still wobble slightly when gently shaken. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let the cheesecake sit inside for 30 minutes. Then let it cool and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

   
5. 5

   Make the plum compote

   Cut the plums into smaller pieces and place them in a saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cook over low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums soften but some pieces remain. Let the compote cool completely.

   
6. 6

   Serve chilled

   Remove the cheesecake from the pan and cut it with a knife dipped in hot water and dried after each cut. Serve each slice with chilled plum compote.