Pineapple Cheesecake

Creamy smooth and delightfully tropical, this baked Pineapple Cheesecake is a real celebration dessert.

I don't make baked cheesecake very often but when I do I want something creamy and delicious and this Pineapple Cheesecake fits the bill.  And not a hint of chocolate anywhere, ha, ha, ha, ha.  

There's no real story or family connection to this recipe other than I served it at a Hawaiian party one dreary winter and everyone loved it.  I made it a few weeks ago to great acclaim and one diner declared it was the best cheesecake she'd ever eaten!  I don't know if I'd go that far in describing this cake, but IT IS VERY, VERY GOOD.

The inspiration for this Pineapple Cheesecake comes from Sam Choy a well-known American chef and restaurateur.  You can see the original recipe here.

Printable recipe at end of post.

Pineapple Cheesecake

Crust:

• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup white or brown sugar
• ½ cup macadamia nuts or pecans
• ½ cup room temperature butter

Filling:

• 3½  8-ounce packages of  cream cheese, room temperature
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• ½-1 teaspoon, each orange and lemon zest 
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• 1½ cups sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large pineapple, diced -- ½ cup squeezed-dry for filling

How to make it:

Crust:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Pan spray or grease a 9-inch spring form pan.  You may also line the bottom with parchment paper.

Pulse flour, sugar and nuts together in food processor until nuts are chopped in small pieces.  If you do not have a food processor, chop the nuts by hand and mix everything together by hand until crumbly.  Press into the bottom and about 1½ inches up the side of the prepared spring form pan and bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes or until starting to turn golden brown.  Remove from heat and let cool while preparing the filling.  

Lower the oven to 350 degrees.

Filling:
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and zest together using a stand or hand mixer. Scrape down the bowl and beat until there are no lumps of cheese. Add the cream, sour cream, and eggs one ingredient at a time, mixing well, and scraping the bowl down before adding the next ingredient. Do not over beat the mixture.

Pour half of the cream cheese filling on top of the pre-baked crust.  Arrange the pineapple on top in a circle, leaving the middle without pineapple. (This makes it easier to cut when serving.) Pour the remaining filling over the pineapple and smooth the top.  Bake in a water bath for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1½  hours.  I baked mine 1 hour and 25 minutes.  The cake should still have a bit of a jiggle in the middle when finished baking.  Let cool, and then chill for at least 3 hours or overnight is even better.

Suggested serving: Top with remaining fresh pineapple and swirls of whipped cream. Serve slices with a spoonful of Creme Anglaise (Custard Sauce) or more whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel or butterscotch sauce.

Place the flour, sugar, nuts and butter in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are chopped fine.  Press in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.  Bake at 375 degrees 15-20 minutes or until the crust is turning a golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool while making the filling.

To make the filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar and orange and lemon zest together. Scrape the bowl and beat again until there are no lumps of cheese remaining.  Add eggs one at a time beating after each egg.  Beat in the sour cream and the whipping cream.  Do not over beat at this stage.

Pour half the cream cheese filling into the baked crust.  Arrange the very dry pineapple in a circle on top of the filling leaving a space in the middle. This will make it easier to serve as there won't be any chunks of fruit to tear away from the middle when cutting a serving.

Pour remaining cheesecake filling over the fruit and smooth the top.  Place the cheesecake in a water bath and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1½  hours.  I baked mine 1 hour and 25 minutes.  Ovens vary.   To use a water bath fill a larger container, in my case a turkey roaster, with boiling water.  Cover the outside of the cheesecake pan with heavy duty foil wrap to keep water from seeping in the seams.  Place the foil covered pan in the water and bake as directed.

When the cheesecake is baked remove from oven and let sit at room temperature until cool.  You may wish to run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake so it will not pull away from the sides and cause cracking or small chunks to fall off the sides.  Do this when you remove the cake from the oven.  When the cake is fully cooled refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. You may leave the cake refrigerated overnight, as well. I was able to slip the very cold cheesecake off the bottom of the lined pan and move it to a serving platter.

 I piled the remaining diced pineapple on top of the cake and swirled whipped cream around the edge.

I made a little caramel sauce to serve with the cheesecake.  Butterscotch sauce would be delicious as well.

A generous serving of Pineapple Cheesecake with the caramel sauce and whipped cream.  

Pineapple Cheesecake makes a delectable celebration dessert for all your special occasions.

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