Six Senses Zighy Bay Oman’s executive chef Richard Lee shares his signature date cheesecake recipe:
Date cheesecake
Ingredients
375 gms cream cheese (such as Philadephia)
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup cream
1 egg
20 gms butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons plain flour
100gms butternut snap biscuits, crushed
125 gms fresh dates, chopped
Method
Combine the biscuit crumbs and butter in a bowl. Press mixture into the base of greased and lined 9cm x 20cm loaf pan. Chill.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
Beat in the egg, then fold in the flour and dates.
Pour filling into prepared base and bake at 160°C for 25 minutes or until just set. Cool in oven with door ajar.
When completely cool, transfer to refrigerator and chill.
This season, Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman is making the most of its bounty from the 1,100 date palms on its grounds. Its 12 different varieties of home-grown dates go into everything from the smoothies and snacks to Arabic sweets served up to guests at the property. Even the spa has added a foodie twist to its menu, with a generous amount of crushed dates incorporated into treatment oils.
aahmed@thenational.ae
