Pina Colada Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 16-18 shortbread cookies, crushed (about 1 cup)
• 1 tbsp. sugar

Filling

• 2 packages of 220g cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/3 cup coconut cream for drinks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Topping

• 1 cup chopped dried pineapple
• 1 can (220g) of canned pineapple chunks in juice
• 2 tbsp coconut cream for drinks
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2/3 cup water

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a 20cm square baking pan with foil, leaving a 5cm overhang on both sides; lightly grease with melted butter.
2. Cake:
   
   In a small bowl, combine crushed cookies, sugar, and melted butter until smooth. Pour the mixture into a baking pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan to form a thin crust. Bake until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 160°C.
4. Prepare the filling:
   
   Combine the cream cheese, coconut cream, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times, until smooth and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, sour cream, and coconut extract until fully incorporated. Spread the filling over the crust.
5. Bake until the edges are set but the center is still a little runny, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.:
   
   Combine the drained and chopped pineapple, coconut cream, lemon juice, and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the drained pineapple is soft and the liquid has reduced to a few tablespoons of syrup, about 20 minutes. Let cool, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes.
7. Spoon the topping over the cheesecake layer and gently spread it to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the cheesecake from the pan, remove the foil, and cut into slices.