You have probably noticed that I already have a Guava Cheesecake on my blog, which by the way, is pretty darn tasty. Guava and cream cheese is the Cuban equivalent of peanut butter and chocolate or strawberries and cream. This new cheesecake is pretty much the same basic recipe (I mean why fix it if it ain’t broken? Right?) but I always wanted to try my had at a swirl cheesecake since the Raspberry white Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory is my daughters all time favorite. Plus I think swirl cheesecakes look so pretty. I love baking cakes because I find decorating them so much fun and I wanted to see if I could bring that to a cheesecake. And since I made this in February when Valentines Day was right around the corner, why not add hearts?

I also wanted to add more of a crust on this cheesecake and bring it higher up on the sides. Plus, how could having more crust be a bad thing especially when it’s made with Maria Cookies?

Instant Pot Guava Swirled Cheesecake 

Recipe by Lana Horruitiner Perez

Crust:

21 Maria Cookies  (You can also use Animal Crackers or Graham Crackers, though Graham Crackers tend to get a little soggy. You want to have at least 1 cup of crumbs regardless of what you use.)

4 Tbl Unsalted Butter, melted

2 tsp Sugar

4 oz chopped White Chocolate (this is optional. I found that adding this on top of the crust creates a barrier to keeping the crust from getting soggy over time.)

Filling:

16 oz Cream Cheese, room Temperature and cut into 1 inch squares

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Sour Cream, room temperature

1 tsp Vanilla

2 Whole Eggs, room temperature

1 Egg Yolk, room temperature

1/8 cup Heavy Cream, room temperature

1 tsp All-Purpose Flour

Guava Swirl:

10-11 oz of Guava Paste, cut into 1 inch chunks (Make sure it’s guava paste and not cream or jelly. I used a different brand this time only because it was easier to cut into squares, but feel free to use whatever brand you like best.)

1/2 cup Water

1 Tbl Meyer Lemon Juice (You can use whatever citrus you have. If it is very tart, use a little less.)

Equipment:

You will need a springform pan or a cheesecake pan. You must use a pan that has a removable bottom. I prefer the Webake 7-inch Springform leakproof Cheesecake Pan. This will fit the 6 and 8 QT Instant Pots. To make the heart pattern on the top of the cheesecake I used a food grade squeeze bottle. If you don’t have one you can use a ziplock bag with a whole cut in the tip or a pastry bag with a small circle tip. 

-Grease your 7 inch springform pan with PAM. Set aside. 

-Break up the Maria Cookies and place them in the food processor. Pulse the Maria Cookies and 2 tsp Sugar to a coarse sand-like texture. (If you are using a different ingredient for your crust, measure the amount after pulsing to make sure you have 1 cup.)

-Drizzle in the 4 Tbl melted butter and pulse until combined.

Before adding the butter.

After adding the butter.

-Pour cookie mixture into the Springform pan and press until you get an even layer on the bottom of the pan and up the sides about 1 inch. I like to use a flat bottom measuring cup to press the crust. Work slowly and don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Place in the freezer for at least 30 mins. Clean the bowl of the food processor for the next step.-While the crust is in the freezer, start combining the filling. In the clean food processor, add the 16 oz Cream Cheese, 1/2 cup Sugar, 1/4 cup Sour Cream, 1/8 cup Heavy Cream, 1 tsp Flour, and 1 tsp Vanilla. DO NOT ADD THE EGGS YET! (Important Tip** The key to a smooth and creamy cheesecake is for all the ingredients to be at room temperature. However, if you are forgetful like I am, it’s hard to remember to put out the ingredients an hour ahead of time. However, there are ways to get around this. For the Cream Cheese and Sour Cream, you can microwave them on the defrost setting  for a few seconds. Just check the temperature after 10 seconds. You don’t want it to be hot or even warm. Just not cold.  To bring eggs to room temperature, just place them in a large glass of warm water for a minute.) 

-Blend on low until smooth. Then add each Egg and the Egg Yolk, one at a time, pulsing twice each time an egg is added. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. If there are any yellow streaks, just fold them in by hand. Let the mixture sit while you work on the next step. -Chop the 4 oz of White Chocolate into small chunks. After 30 mins, take the crust out of the freezer and sprinkle the White Chocolate over the crust and spread out as evenly as you can. I am not a big fan of white chocolate, however, it creates a barrier between the filling and the crust and keeps it from getting soggy and you don’t taste it much at all. I came upon this trick when I was figuring out a copy cat recipe for my daughter’s favorite cheesecake, the White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory.  If you are really opposed to the White Chocolate, you can omit it. Set aside.

-To make the guava filling, place the chunks of guava in a microwave safe bowl or large measuring jug. Add 1/2 cup water. Place in the microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds. In 20 second intervals, stop and stir the mixture for about a minute each time. The stirring will help it melt. Stop microwaving it once it has melted most of the way. Stir in the Lemon juice and let cool for a few minutes. You don’t want it to be super hot when adding it to the cheesecake. -To make the heart pattern on the top of the cheesecake, you will need to set aside 1/2 cup of the melted guava. Pour 1/2 cup into a squeeze bottle. Try to not get any chunks that will clog up the squeeze bottle. -Gently spoon 1/2 of the Cheesecake mixture into the springform pan with the crust and white chocolate. Try to pour it into an even layer as possible. -Spoon the guava mixture in a drizzle style over the cheesecake mixture. You can use as much or as little as you want. You probably won’t use all of the guava, but that is ok. Make sure not to get any on the crust. -With a butter knife or a chopstick, gently swirl through the guava and cheesecake mixture in a random pattern. Do not go too far down so you touch the bottom crust or the sides. Stop swirling when you are satisfied with the pattern. (If you swirl too much you will eventually mix the guava into the cheesecake. It will still taste delicious but you won’t see a swirl, you will just have a pink cheesecake.)

-Pour the rest of the cheesecake batter over the swirl. Try to make sure to cover the swirl pattern in an even layer. Tap the pan on your counter 5 times to bring up any bubbles.-If you want to make the heart pattern, use the guava in the squeeze bottle and drop round circles of guava all around the top of the cheesecake. You can be as creative as you want. Then with a clean toothpick, drag a line from just above each circle of guava, through the guava, and down to a point to make a heart shape.  (another idea is to just squeeze the guava over the top an a random pattern or make more swirls. You can even leave the top plain and drizzle the guava on the cheesecake after it is cooked and before you place it in the fridge. Get creative!)-Cover the cheesecake loosely with foil.

-In your Instant Pot, add 1 1/2 cups Water and then place the trivet in the Instant Pot. You do not want the cheesecake to sit in the water! Make a foil sling by folding a 12 inch piece of foil long ways into a strip that is about 1 inch wide. You will use this to lower your cheesecake into the Instant Pot. I keep my sling in a drawer so I don’t have to make one every time. Fold down the ends just so they don’t get caught when you close the lid. -Place and Lock the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the vent to “Seal”. Press the “Manual” button and increase the time to 40 mins High Pressure. Once it is done cooking, allow the pressure to Naturally Release completely which will take anywhere from 18-20 mins. Once it’s done try and lift the lid straight up so the condensation water doesn’t fall on the cake.

-Remove the cheesecake and place on a cooling rack. Remove the foil and if there is any water on the top of the cake, just use a paper towel to lightly draw up the water from the top, on top of the hearts, and around the edges. (It’s ok if some of the hearts get misshapen from the cheesecake rising a bit. You can use the leftover guava in the squeeze bottle to reform them.) Allow the cheesecake to cool on the wire rack for 60 mins then cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge overnight then enjoy!

Buen Provecho!