Nachos Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cheesecake

• 500 gr. cream cheese (Mascarpone or Philadelphia), room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar - for the dough
• 1/4 cup sugar - to sweeten the sour cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Yellow and red food coloring

Chips

• 500 g frozen shortcrust pastry, defrosted
• Flour for dusting
• 1 tbsp. milk
• 2 tablespoons of sugar

Salsa and decoration

• 100 g of red jelly candies
• 1 cup strawberry jam
• 3 green licorice spirals
• 6 black licorice cylinders
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 3 tablespoons chocolate-covered raisins
• Yellow and red food coloring

Preparation:

1. Prepare the cheesecake: Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add 2/3 cup of sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and beat thoroughly. Add the eggs gradually and beat until combined. Color the batter light orange by adding a little yellow and red food coloring.
2. Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round baking pan with vegetable oil. Pour in the batter and spread it evenly over the entire surface. Place the cheesecake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) and bake until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
   
   Mix sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar, spread it over the hot cheesecake, and continue baking for another 5 minutes. Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. To imitate chips: Roll out the shortcrust pastry thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Brush the dough with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Cut the dough into wide, 6-7 cm strips.
4. Cut each strip into 6-7 cm squares, then cut each square diagonally into triangles. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough triangles on the prepared baking sheets, 2-3 cm apart. Increase the oven temperature to 230°C and bake the chips until golden brown, 7-10 minutes. Remove the chips from the oven and cool completely.
5. To simulate salsa sauce: Cut red jelly candies into small pieces and mix with strawberry jam.
   
   To imitate chili peppers Cut green licorice candies diagonally into thin slices.
6. To imitate olives: Cut the black licorice candies into thin round slices. Then, using a drinking straw, poke a hole through each slice.
7. To simulate melted cheese: Color the sour cream light orange by mixing it with red and yellow food coloring. Then fill a plastic bag with the sour cream. Remove excess air and tie it shut.
8. Prepare nachos: Place chips on top of the cheesecake, making them easy to dip. Sprinkle with olives, chocolate-covered raisins, and green chilies, and drizzle with salsa.
9. Cut off a small corner of a sour cream bag and squeeze it on top of the cheesecake to simulate melted cheese.