This Guava Cheesecake recipe is the perfect bake to celebrate the delicious flavors of fresh guavas when they're in season!
This recipe is for a baked vanilla cheesecake topped with a homemade fresh guava compote, it makes a great dessert for summer dinners, or as the centerpiece at your next tea party!
If you love cheesecake recipes, then have a look at this recipe for Passionfruit Cheesecake or this recipe for Lemon Cheesecake.
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Ingredients
To make this easy cheesecake recipe you will need the simple ingredients listed below, remember to always use fresh quality ingredients that are at room temperature when baking.
- Unsalted butter
- Biscuits
- Cream cheese
- Granulated white sugar
- Extra-large eggs
- Whipping cream
- Vanilla bean paste
- Castor sugar
- Guavas
- Lime juice
Biscuits - choose your favorite plain cookies for the base of this cheesecake. I have used Tennis biscuits which are plain butter biscuits with added coconut. You can use digestive biscuits, marie biscuits, maria crackers, or graham crackers.
Cream cheese - choose a full-fat quality cream cheese for this recipe. I used Philadelphia cream cheese.
Extra-large eggs - out of their shell, the eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren't sure if you have the same eggs - weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Whipping cream - Heavy cream refers to creams that have a fat content higher than 36%, in South Africa, these creams are often called whipping cream. Don't make the mistake of confusing this with double thick cream, it isn't the same!
Vanilla bean paste - I have used a quality vanilla bean paste for this recipe, do the same or choose to use vanilla extract instead.
Guavas - choose fresh ripe guavas for this recipe, taste them first, and make sure they are sweet, flavourful, and delicious!
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the simple steps below to make this delicious cheesecake.
Instructions for the cheesecake crust
STEP 1: Prepare the baking tins. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) and spray a 23cm (9 inches) round springform pan with non-stick baking spray and then line the bottom of the tin with parchment paper.
STEP 2: Prepare the water bath. Seal the bottom of the cake tin with heavy-duty tin foil.
STEP 3: Make the base. Place the biscuits into a food processor and pulse until fine, or crush them using a rolling pin. Pour the crust mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the melted butter, mix until well combined.
STEP 4: Make the crust. Pour the biscuit mixture into the prepared tin and use a cup or the back of a spoon to press the biscuit mixture ¾ of the way up the sides of the pan and across the bottom of the cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Instructions for cheesecake
STEP 1: Beat cream cheese and sugar. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the sugar and the cubed cream cheese. Beat at medium speed until smooth and well combined.
STEP 2: Add the eggs. With the mixer's motor running at medium speed, add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture one at a time, ensuring to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
STEP 3: Add the cream and vanilla. Add the vanilla bean paste and whipping cream to the cheesecake batter and beat at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Pour the cheesecake filling over the cheesecake base.
STEP 4: Fill the water bath. Place the cheesecake-filled cake tin into a large enough roasting pan, and place this into the oven. Fill the roasting dish with hot water. The water should reach just above halfway up the sides of the cake tin.
STEP 5: Bake. Bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is set and the sides have pulled away slightly from the tin.
STEP 6: Chill. Switch off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool inside the oven, for about 2 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath, cover the top of the tin with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Instructions for guava compote
STEP 1: Heat sugar, guavas, and lime juice. Place the chopped guavas, lime juice, and sugar into a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Heat until the sugar has melted, stirring occasionally.
STEP 2: Allow the compote to thicken. Allow the guavas to release their water and thicken as the compote cooks. Once thick, remove the compote from the heat and transfer it to a glass jar or large bowl, allow it to cool completely.
STEP 3: Sieve. Place the cooled guava compote into a food processor and pulse until well blended, pass the compote through a sieve to remove all the seeds. If your compote is too thick, add 2 tbsps of hot water while blending.
STEP 4: Decorate. Remove the set cheesecake from the cake tin and place it onto a serving plate. Spoon the chilled guava compote on top of the cheesecake and decorate it with fresh guava slices, serve, and enjoy!
Hint: If this is the first time you are making a cheesecake you might be tempted to skip the part of baking it in a water bath, please don't! As this method is the better way of baking cheesecakes and ensures a creamy delicious texture.
Variations
If you can't find fresh guavas, you can make this recipe with other fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries.
I have made this cheesecake recipe a number of times and topped it with fresh tropical fruit and it is delicious!
Equipment
To make this cheesecake you will need a spring-form pan and an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
Storage
Store any leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
If you would like to freeze this cheesecake, choose not to top it with the guava compote and rather store the compote and cheesecake separately. Wrap the cheesecake in clingfilm and freeze for up to one month, freeze the compote in an airtight freezer-safe container. Defrost properly in the fridge before eating.
Top tips
Follow my top tips below to ensure you bake the perfect creamy cheesecake
- Test the true temperature of your oven with a thermometer before baking the cheesecake.
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
- Choose to bake cheesecakes in a water bath for the best creamy texture.
- Seal the bottom of the loose bottom cake tin with tin foil properly before adding it to a water bath to avoid water seeping into the cheesecake mixture.
- Allow the cheesecake to set properly before serving
FAQ
If your cheesecake is rubbery rather than creamy, you need to assess how you baked it. Oven temperature and baking it in a water bath play very important roles in the texture of this cheesecake.
The eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren't sure if you have the same eggs - weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
I hope you give this decadent cheesecake recipe a try! I just love the combination of the creamy vanilla cheesecake and the fruit topping.
If you do try this recipe please leave a star rating and comment below - I love hearing from all of you!
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Guava Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1x 23cm diameter springform cake tin (9 inches)
Ingredients
Guava Compote
- 500 g guavas chopped and peeled
- 80 g granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Vanilla Cheesecake
- 300 g Tennis biscuits
- 150 g unsalted butter melted
- 700 g cream cheese
- 250 g castor sugar
- 4 eggs extra large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 ml whipping cream
- 200 g guavas for decorating
Instructions
Vanilla Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) and spray a 23cm (9 inches) round springform pan with non-stick baking spray and then line the bottom of the tin with parchment paper.
- Seal the bottom of the cake tin with heavy-duty tin foil.
- Place the biscuits into a food processor and pulse until fine, or crush them using a rolling pin. Pour the crust mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the melted butter, mix until well combined.
- Pour the biscuit mixture into the prepared tin and use a cup or the back of a spoon to press the biscuit mixture ¾ of the way up the sides of the pan and across the bottom of the cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the sugar and the cubed cream cheese. Beat at medium speed until smooth and well combined.
- With the mixer's motor running at medium speed, add the eggs to the cream cheese mixture one at a time, ensuring to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and whipping cream to the cheesecake batter and beat at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Pour the cheesecake filling over the cheesecake base.
- Place the cheesecake-filled cake tin into a large enough roasting pan, and place this into the oven. Fill the roasting dish with hot water. The water should reach just above halfway up the sides of the cake tin.
- Bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is set and the sides have pulled away slightly from the tin. Switch off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool inside the oven, for about 2 hours.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath, cover the top of the tin with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Guava Compote
- Place the chopped guavas, lime juice, and sugar into a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Heat until the sugar has melted, stirring occasionally.
- Allow the guavas to release their water and thicken as the compote cooks. Once thick, remove the compote from the heat and transfer it to a glass jar or large bowl, allow it to cool completely.
- Place the cooled guava compote into a food processor and pulse until well blended, pass the compote through a sieve to remove all the seeds. If your compote is too thick, add 2 tbsps of hot water while blending.
- Remove the set cheesecake from the cake tin and place it onto a serving plate. Spoon the chilled guava compote on top of the cheesecake and decorate it with fresh guava slices, serve, and enjoy!
Jen says
This guava cheesecake was delicious! I’ll definitely make this recipe again, it was so easy to follow