Quark and Prune Cheesecake
This recipe is supplied courtesy of Team South Burnett. Team leader Jason Ford produced this at our recent South Burnett Masterclass, host by celebrity chef Peter Howard. Do not be scared away from the Strawberry Salsa as it really tones down the sweetness and is a great surprise at any dinner party.

Ingredients:
1 20cm pre-baked sweet pastry base
150g cognac soaked prunes, chopped

250ml milk
150g caster sugar
1 vanilla bean pod

125ml milk
85g custard powder

1tbsp dissolved gelatine
85g melted butter

650g Kingaroy Cheese quark cheese
250g Runnymede sheep’s yoghurt

85g egg whites
50g sugar

Construction:
1. Line the base of a 20cm cake tin with pre-baked sweet pastry.
2. Scatter on the soaked prunes.
3. Bring milk, sugar and vanilla pod to the boil. Then discard the vanilla pod.
4. Add a paste, made with the additional cold milk and custard powder, to the boiling milk and return to heat to thicken. Remove from the heat.
5. Stir in dissolved gelatine and melted butter.
6. Add quark cheese and yoghurt, mixing to a smooth paste.
7. Whip egg whites and sugar to peaks and fold in to custard mixture.
8. Pour over pre-baked pastry base and place in a hot oven at 225oC until top is golden brown. Chill completely before serving with fresh fruit salsa and fresh whipped cream.

Serves 12