Recipes / Dessert

fig leaf cheesecake one slice on a plate

Fig Leaf Baked Cheesecake

This recipe was created on our masterclass retreat at Tresillian House, Cornwall, with chef and host Jonny Jeffrey. It's one of the simplest and most unusual desserts we've cooked in Charlie — a rich, creamy cheesecake baked on a layer of fresh fig leaves, which gently perfume it with notes of coconut, vanilla and almond. The cheesecake is baked until set around the outside but still has a good wobble in the middle, then chilled overnight. Serve it completely naked. It doesn't need anything else.

Jonny JeffreyChef and host, Tresillian House, Cornwall
Bake
Prep20 minutes
Cook40 to 45 minutes
Serves14-16
DifficultyEasy

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/en-gg/blogs/charcoal-recipes/fig-leaf-baked-cheesecake

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Ingredients

Equipment

Method

Prepare the fig leaves

  1. Choose fresh, healthy fig leaves from an edible fig tree that hasn't been sprayed.
  2. Wash thoroughly on both sides and pat completely dry. Cut off the thick stalks and trim any particularly chunky part of the central rib so the leaves sit flat.
    Why this mattersThere's no need to blanch the leaves first.

Prepare the tin

  1. Line a springform cake tin with greaseproof paper, covering the base and sides.
  2. Arrange a single layer of fig leaves across the bottom, overlapping them slightly so the cheesecake sits directly on the leaves.

Make the cheesecake

  1. Beat the Philadelphia and sugar together until smooth.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined.
  3. Mix in the gluten free flour and a pinch of salt, followed by the double cream. Mix until smooth but don't overbeat.
  4. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the fig leaves.

Cook in Charlie

  1. Light Charlie and bring the oven to 200°C. As you approach temperature, close the top and bottom vents to around a finger's width and allow the temperature to settle.
  2. Position the cheesecake high in the oven, away from the direct heat of the charcoal.
  3. Bake at 200°C for 40 to 45 minutes.
    40 min
    Why this mattersThe outside should be set with some colour, while the centre should still have a good jelly-like wobble. Don't wait for the middle to become firm — it will continue to set as it cools.
  4. Allow to cool completely in the tin, then refrigerate overnight.

Serve

  1. Take the cheesecake out of the fridge before serving to take some of the chill off it.
  2. Serve it naked — no fruit, cream or sauce. The cheesecake and the fragrance of the fig leaves are enough.

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The cook

Jonny Jeffrey

Chef and host, Tresillian House, Cornwall

Frequently asked questions

  • What do fig leaves add to cheesecake?

    Fig leaves don't taste like figs. When heated, they release a distinctive fragrance with notes of coconut, vanilla and almond, along with a fresh green character.

    Baking the cheesecake directly on the leaves allows those flavours to gently perfume the base as it cooks. The leaves aren't there to be eaten. They're there to add flavour.

  • Do you need to blanch fig leaves?

    No. For this recipe, simply wash and dry the leaves thoroughly, remove the stalks and place them in the lined tin.

    Use fresh, unsprayed leaves from an edible common fig tree and avoid unnecessarily cutting or damaging them as the milky sap can irritate the skin.

  • How do you know when the cheesecake is cooked?

    Give the tin a gentle wobble. The outside should be set but the centre should move like jelly.

    If the whole cheesecake moves like liquid, give it a little longer. If the centre is completely firm, you've taken it further than necessary.

    Once chilled overnight, the centre will set into a rich, creamy cheesecake.