2sleeves of graham crackers - crushed into fine crumbs
1heaping Tablespoon of sugar
1stick of butter - melted
FOR THE FILLING:
5 - 8ouncepackages of cream cheese - softened
1cupof heavy cream - to whip
2cupsof sugar
1Tablespoonof Vanilla
2packets of KNOX unflavored gelatin
Water
Neon pink food coloring gel
Neon purple food coloring gel
Dragon Fruit - frozen - you can typically find this frozen with pink pitaya added for color.see notes It's easy to add to the cheesecake, once you've thawed the fruit, and the color is gorgeous.
COOKS TOOLS NEEDED:
9inchspring-form pan
Parchment paper
Stand mixer
Spatula's
Spoons
Bowls
Instructions
Dragon Fruit: remove the package from the Freezer, and place at least half of the bag in a bowl to thaw. The fruit needs to be thawed to add to the cheesecake mixture. Set aside.
Open the graham crackers and break the crackers up into smaller pieces, and place in the blender. Blend the graham crackers into crumbs, and place crumbs in a dish. Add the heaping Tablespoon of sugar to the crumbs, and stir. Melt the butter in the microwave, and pour into crumbs. Mix well, blending butter into crumbs, until crumbs are coated in butter. Line the bottom of the Spring-form pan with Parchment paper, and press the crumb mixture evenly into the pan. Place pan in the freezer.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the heavy cream, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar, and mix on medium speed until the cream starts to thicken. Turn the mixer on high, and whip until stiff peaks form. Put the whipped cream in a bowl, and place the bowl in the refrigerator. Place the softened cream cheese in the mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, and Vanilla, and continue to mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and blending until well mixed. Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator, and add all the whipped cream to the cream cheese. Blend until completely mixed, and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, and blend again. Place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator.
Follow the instructions on the package of KNOX unflavored gelatin, and let the gelatin sit until its completely dissolved. Stir the gelatin. Remove the mixing bowl from the refrigerator, and add the gelatin to the cheesecake mixture. Mix on low speed until all the gelatin has been well blended into the cheesecake batter. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, and blend again. Divide the cheesecake batter in equal halves, leaving half in the mixing bowl, and placing half in the Spring form pan.
You're going to add the Dragon fruit to the portion of the cheesecake filling that's left in the mixing bowl, so pour the other portion of white cheesecake filling into the Spring-form pan, and place the pan back in the freezer. Add the Dragon fruit to the mixer, and mix the fruit, and any pink juice, into the cheesecake filling, until well blended. Add a teaspoon of the Neon pink food coloring gel, and blend well. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl, and mix again. Add about ½ a teaspoon of the Purple Neon food coloring gel, and blend. If the filling is not hot pink, add more of the Neon pink food coloring gel, until desired color is achieved.
When desired color has been mixed, place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator. Leave the white cheesecake layer in the freezer for about an hour, or until it's firm when touched. When the white layer is frozen, remove the mixing bowl and pour the pink layer on top of the white layer, and place the pan back in the freezer, and leave it overnight for best results.
When ready to serve the cheesecake, remove the pan from the freezer, and remove the spring-form from the pan. Cut the cheesecake with a sharp serrated knife, and place pieces on dessert plates to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
If you're not familiar with, or haven't worked with Dragon Fruit before, it's really easy. The Pink Pitaya powder that's in the frozen fruit, is actually the outside, flesh of the fruit that's been dried and is in powder form, to get the vibrant pink color. It helps to make the hot pink filling really beautiful.