My Instant Pot fig goat cheesecake is rich, creamy yet light, and subtly sweet. It’s perfect with a drizzle of honey and in season figs.
Like many parents this year, we homeschooled both kids and had no idea what we were in for! Vu and I found ourselves a lot more busy with our household falling apart and less time for nourishing meals. Anyone in the same boat? We started relying on quick and easy dishes and one pot meals to get through the week. After 10 years of resisting the Instant Pot bandwagon, I finally jumped on. I’ve been using the Instant Pot most days of the week and it’s been a lifesaver! Even my husband can navigate all those buttons and make a decent meal after some coaching. Hooray, less cooking for me!
Get ready for a whole slew of Instant Pot recipes coming to the blog! To celebrate the small wins in life, I wanted to share a dessert recipe with you, my Instant Pot fig goat cheesecake. I’ve always loved the combination of fig and goat cheese whether it’s in a tart or salad. Our fig tree had some stragglers that ended up being the perfect topping for this goat cheesecake.
Ingredient note
Amaretti cookies: for the crust I love using amaretti cookies like this chocolate tart. Amaretti cookies are made with almonds so they add a lovely flavor that compliments the goat cheese. For the crust, the amaretti cookies are sweet enough so there's no need to add additional sugar. If you can’t find amaretti cookies, feel free to substitute with Biscoff cookies or Graham crackers.
Goat cheese: use a fresh, quality goat cheese that’s plain in flavor. I love the distinctive tang that goat cheese adds to the overall flavor of the cheesecake.
Why I love making cheesecake in an Instant Pot (IP)
Making cheesecake in an Instant Pot is effortless! It takes half the time and results in a crack free, creamiest cheesecake. The classic cheesecake takes an hour to bake, an hour to cool, and an overnight stay in the fridge to set. My goat cheesecake takes 30 minutes in the Instant Pot, 30 minutes to cool, and an overnight stay in the fridge. An oven baked cheesecake involves a low and slow bake in a water bath to get that creamy center without any cracks. The interior of an Instant Pot creates a turbo-charged steam bath that insures a crack free cheesecake with the perfect texture. It’s a win in my book when you can save an extra hour to spend with your family or catch up on those dreaded chores!
Tips for making cheesecake in an Instant Pot
If you’re an IP newbie like me, reading through these tips will ensure the easiest, tastiest cheesecake you’ll ever make.
- You need to make the cheesecake a day ahead from when you want to serve it.
- Make sure your cream cheese, goat cheese, and eggs are at room temp to get the smoothest filling for your cheesecake.
- Give your pan a few taps to get rid of any large bubbles formed in the filling.
- I have the 8-quart Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker which fits a 7-inch springform pan. I have not tested recipes for cheesecake smaller than the 7-inch pan.
- My IP comes with a sling. For easy removal, you’ll want to create a sling out of foil to place under the pan if you don't have one. See below for how to make your own.
- To prevent moisture from seeping in from the top and the bottom, line a piece of paper towel between the cheesecake pan and the foil.
- It’s important to refrigerate the cheesecake for at least eight hours so the flavor can develop and texture will set correctly.
How to make your own foil sling
If your steamer rack does not have handles, it’s easy to build a sling that will help you lift cake pans out of the cooker. To make one, fold a long (about 18-20 inches) piece of aluminum foil into thirds so that it can sit under the pan and extend up the sides of the pressure cooker pot (as handles). This will help you lift and lower the pan into the cooker. Be sure to leave the sling in the IP while cooking so you can use it to lift the pan out afterward. Use oven mitts when you're removing the pan so you don't burn yourself.
What to serve cheesecake with
I paired my goat cheesecake with honey and black mission figs grown from our garden. Fresh berries and fruit compotes like this balsamic cherry are perfect alternatives to fresh figs. You can use frozen cherries or swap out the cherries for other fruits like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and even plums.
After 8 hours, your patience will be rewarded with the creamiest, rich yet light, and smoothest goat cheesecake ever. The goat cheese gives it a soft and mellow tang while the fresh figs and honey add a subtle sweetness with every bite. Try my Instant Pot fig goat cheesecake and you’ll never go back to oven-baked cheesecake again!
For more cheesecake inspiration, you might like these recipes: no bake strawberry creme fraiche cheesecake, coconut strawberry cheesecake, strawberry basil cheesecake, passion fruit cheesecake.
Instant Pot Fig Goat Cheesecake
Equipment
- Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker or an Instant Pot that fits a 7-inch springform pan
- 7-inch springform pan
Ingredients
Amaretti crust
- 6 ounces amaretti cookies, ground
- 4 tbsps unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
- 10 ounces goat cheese, room temp
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 pint fresh figs for serving
- 2 tbsps honey for drizzling
Instructions
- To make the crust, combine the ground amaretti crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Pat the mixture into a 7-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Coat the pan with cooking spray. Lay a 10-inch square of paper towel on a 10-inch square of foil and use it the wrap the base of the cheesecake. With the paper towel in between the pan and foil, it will help absorb the moisture and prevent the crust from becoming soggy. Repeat the same process to cover the top of the cheesecake so there won't be any condensation forming on the cheesecake filling.
- To make the filling, in a bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, goat cheese, and sugar until the mixture is very smooth.
- On medium-low speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions.
- Add in the lemon zest, salt, and heavy cream and beat until smooth.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and give the pan a few taps to get rid of any bubbles.
- Wrap the pan bottom with the prepared paper towel and foil squares. Cover the top of the pan with prepared paper towel and foil squares.
- Fill the pressure cooker with 1 cup of hot water.
- Place the pan on top of the steamer rack with handle and lower both into the pressure cooker. If you don't have a steamer rack with handle, place a steamer rack in the pot and then lower the cake pan onto the rack using a homemade sling.
- Cover and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then release the remaining pressure manually.
- Lift the pan out of the pressure cooker and transfer it to a wire rack. Remove the foil.
- The center of the cheesecake will still be wobbly; it will set further as it cools.
- Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
- Cover the cooled cake with plastic wrap and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours and preferably overnight to firm up.
- When ready to serve, release the springform sides and place the cheesecake on a platter. Top with fresh figs and drizzle with honey.
Joan
I have a cow dairy and a cane sugar allergy. Can this be made with all chevre cheese, goat sour cream and coconut sugar? I already know that it will have a tan coloring.
Vy Tran
Hi Joan! Not sure if you're allergic to sheep's milk also. For substitution, you could substitute the cream cheese with Bellwether Farms sheep milk ricotta and use the goat cheese sour cream. The coconut sugar should work.