Fig and kefir cheesecake

Kefir is full of healthy bacteria that are good for your microbiome. It generally has a thin drinking texture; mixed with cream and left to ferment, it becomes thick like crème fraîche.

SERVES EIGHT TO 12

INGREDIENTS

For the filling

500ml double cream

250ml unsweetened live kefir 3 sheets of gelatin

6-8 figs

60ml apple/cherry juice, or water 1 tbsp runny honey, plus 2 tsp

For the base

140g porridge oats

4 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp sunflower seeds (optional)

METHOD

Start this the day before, by mixing together the double cream and kefir. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for 18-24 hours until the mixture is thick and pleasantly tangy, like a rich crème fraîche.

For the base, preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ Gas 4. Line a 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.

Put the porridge oats in a food processor with the oil and blitz to rough crumbs.

Add the water and tablespoon of honey and process to a rough paste. Pulse in the sunflower seeds if using them.

Press this into the base of the cake tin and bake for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool completely.

Now make the filling. Soak three gelatin sheets in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze the gelatin to get rid of the excess water. Heat the 60ml juice or water and stir in one tablespoon of honey along with the softened gelatin. Fold the mixture thoroughly into the kefir cream.

Thinly slice five of the figs horizontally. Press the fig discs around the sides of the cake tin (they’ll stick to the baking parchment). Pour half of the kefir cream into the tin, then top with any remaining fig slices. Pour over the last of the cream, cover, and refrigerate for at least eight hours.

To serve, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and peel off the paper. Cut a deep cross in the stem end of the last figs and squeeze the bases so that they open out like petals. Arrange on top of the cheesecake, and trickle over the last two teaspoons of the honey.