Papaya Cookie Butter Layered Pudding

By Dr. Hennie Fisher

Lotus Biscoff Spread is the brand name for a global cookie butter that is sometimes available in South African supermarkets. The dessert below uses a cookie butter in one of the layers to assemble individual puddings. Many versions of these layered desserts abound, probably because of the pretty layers that is visible through the glass. Use any type of glass or glass container to assemble these, but for the best results, the glass should be clear with no patterns. You could also make these in plastic containers suitable for travelling to take on a picnic, or you could make a large one for dessert.

Since Biscoff biscuits are not readily available, you could make the butter from other cookies. The spread works best if it is made from biscuits with a good, caramel colour rather than pale cookies. Alas, because of its nature this spread is probably not a very healthy food item; if that is an important factor in your life, substitute the spread with peanut butter or even chocolate spread. The concept of cookie butter is something of an anomaly in any event; why would one want to spread biscuits on your toast? However, in this desert, which marries the cookie butter with papaya and a cheesecake layer, it is perhaps not entirely unjustified, as it mimics the biscuit crust that generally supports an unbaked cheesecake. The papaya layer works perfectly to counter the richness of the other layers. Feel free to experiment and make as many layers as you wish. For assembly it is easier if the cookie butter is soft; refrigeration sets it into a proper firm spread.

Ingredients for 6 individual pudding cups:

For the Cookie Butter:
150 g Nutticrust cookies, finely broken up
2,5 ml (½ teaspoon) cinnamon powder
80 g melted butter
140 ml milk
7,5 ml (½ tablespoon) instant coffee
15 ml (1 tablespoon) honey

For the cheesecake layer:
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ fresh lemon
230 g cream cheese
15 ml (1 tablespoon) castor sugar
125 ml cream

1/3 ripe papaya, peeled

Method:

First make the cookie butter. Place the cookies in the jug of a liquidizer or Nutribullet. Blend to a fine powder. Add the cinnamon and honey. Warm the milk with the coffee to boiling point, and add the butter. Ensure that the mixture is piping hot and add to the cookies. Blend to a smooth paste, scraping the inside of the jug to ensure that all the cookies are blended. Transfer to a piping bag with a plain nozzle attachment.

In the bowl of a freestanding mixer and using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the zest and lemon juice to a smooth consistency. Scrape down the bowl and add the cream. Switch to the whisk attachment and beat the mixture until it starts to thicken. Transfer to a piping bag with a plain nozzle attachment.

Mash the papaya with a fork to a course consistency.

Assemble the dessert by piping a small amount of cookie butter at the bottom of each glass or cup. Pipe a layer of cream cheese mixture over, trying to keep the layers as level as possible. Spoon over the papaya. Repeat the layers if you wish, or end with another layer of cookie butter and cream cheese mix. Decorate with finely diced papaya and/or fresh edible flowers. If you wish, sprinkle a little more crushed biscuits over. Serve.