Baked Cheesecake

10 Digestive biscuits, crushed

65g Unsalted butter, melted

500g Fromage frais

500g Philadelphia cheese

4 Eggs

1 Lemon, zested & juiced

25g Plain flour

100g Caster sugar

75g Sultanas 

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C.

2. Grease & line the base of a round 23cm/9" loose bottomed tin.

3. Mix the biscuits & butter together and press firmly into the bottom of your tin.

4. Place in the fridge to cool while you prepare the filling.

5. Whisk together the Fromage frais, Philadelphia, eggs, lemon zest and juice, flour & sugar until fully combined and smooth.

6. Stir in the sultanas to evenly distribute.

7. Remove the tin from the fridge and pour your filling in to it.  Smooth the top.

8. Place in your oven for 50-55 minutes until you can see the edges just starting to brown and there is still the slightest wobble in the centre.

9. Switch off the oven, leaving the cheesecake inside.

10. Leave the door slightly open and leave the cheesecake in there to cool completely.

11. Remove the cold cheesecake from the oven and transfer it to a serving plate.

You can serve this on its own or with puréed apricots or cherries poured over the top.

If you prefer a chocolate version of this, then omit the lemon juice, zest and sultanas. Replace them with 2tbs of cocoa combined with 2tbs water.

Cheesecake

We love cheesecake, but the stuff that supermarkets pass off leaves something to be desired, not to mention the frozen ones you can buy (don't get me started on the taste & mushiness of these), so, as requested by some of my friends over on my Facebook page, Freycob's Cakes, here's my recipe.

We were invited to friends for a BBQ today, and this is what I made for dessert to take with us. The conclusion was that this was the BEST cheesecake they've ever tasted!

400g digestive biscuits
200g butter
300ml double cream
600g Philadelphia cream cheese
1 lemon, juice & rind
4tbs caster sugar
Fruit for topping
Caster sugar to taste

1. Crush the Digestive biscuits.
2. Melt the butter.
3. Mix the butter and biscuits together then press firmly into an 20cm (8") springform tin. (I line the base of mine with parchment to make it easier to remove).
4. Place in the fridge for 30 mins to cool & set the butter.
5. Whisk the cream, Philadelphia, lemon juice, rind & sugar together until well combined and thick.
6. Spread on top of the cooled base.
7. Return to the fridge for at least an hour to cool.

You can leave it plain or use berries in season to top the cheesecake or make your own coulis as follows:

8. Blitz a large punnet of blueberries with 100g of frozen raspberries and 50g (or to taste) of caster sugar.
9. You can sieve your fruit if required, or as we like it, leave it as it is.
10. Top your slice of cheesecake with a generous portion of fruit and enjoy!

If you prefer, you can defrost 400g of frozen berries to mix with your sugar to use as your topping.