Time Square’s Cynthia Bombe Celebrates Cheesecake Day With Her Signature Passion Fruit Delight

Cheesecake in all its guises – baked, not baked, chocolate, Basque, New York-style, topped with whipped cream, fruits or coulis, on a shortcrust pastry or biscuit crumb base – is the perfect treat for afternoon tea or morning coffee. You just can’t go wrong with this delicious, creamy cake. Join the US in celebrating cheesecake in style on National Cheesecake Day on 30 July, 2025 – because as South Africans, we love our cheesecakes as well.

Time Square’s Sous Chef Cynthia Bombe has shared her recipe for Passion Fruit Cheesecake in honour of the day, although you can indulge in it any time you please.

“When I was a child growing up in Diepkloof, Soweto, I used to help my mom bake scones and jam tarts which she sold. So that is where my passion for baking comes from, and I decided to pursue it as a career,” says Bombe, who holds a Chefs Certificate in Food Preparation from the HTA School of Culinary Art.

“I love pastry, it is my passion. I didn’t have any experience when I joined Time Square, I had to adapt and fell in love with it. You have to be patient working in this part of the kitchen.” Bombe paid tribute to Time Square’s executive sous chef Nonkosi Vellem, “who showed me almost everything I know”. Today Bombe is a supervisor, working with banqueting, sometimes preparing up to 1 000 plates at a time. “I oversee functions, making sure the food is out on time and that there are no complaints. I have to delegate to the junior chefs and also manage orders to ensure stock continuity.”

Try this simple recipe and impress your friends and family.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake

Base

• 200g coconut biscuits, crushed into crumbs
• 80g melted butter
• 25cm springform pan

Filling

• 625g cream cheese
• 375ml condensed milk
• 4 eggs
• 40ml lemon juice
• 30ml vanilla essence
• 32g Maizena
• 250g passion fruit (granadilla) purée

Method

• Preheat oven to 150°C

• Mix the biscuits and butter together. Press firmly into the bottom of a springform pan. Refrigerate while making the filling.

• In a bowl, add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add condensed milk, lemon juice ,vanilla essence and mix well. Beat in the Maizena and mix well until smooth.

• Add in eggs one at a time mix well until smooth.

• Pour the mixture onto the chilled crust and smooth the top. Tap the tin on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.

• Bake at 150°C for 1 hour. Allow cheesecake to cool for 2 hours and refrigerate overnight.

• Remove cheesecake from the springform pan. Garnish as desired.

Serve and enjoy!