My first cheesecake! I went to the Hard Rock Cafe in London recently and one of my friends ordered the ‘Bakers Choice’ for dessert which ended up being the largest chunk of cheesecake I’ve ever seen. Not only was it massive, it didn’t really have any flavour and the cheesecake-biscuit ratio was all wrong. In my house it’s all about a thick buttery biscuit base…
I’ve been on a bit of a cocktail-bender during the wonderful sunny weather we’ve been having and have ended up with a lot of left over double cream from pina coladas. I opted for a cheesecake recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days to help me use up some of the left over cream. Bear in mind this recipe took me the best part of a day to execute as it requires periods of baking and cooling for each layer and it’s quite a wordy recipe.
For the base
220g digestive biscuits
100g unslated butter, melted
For the topping
200g fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped, plus 100-200g extra strawberries cut in half to decorate
180g caster sugar
600g full fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
2 large eggs
100g mascarpone cheese
20g icing sugar
100ml double cream
One 20cm (8in) diameter spring-form cake tin
I couldn’t get a 20cm tin, so instead got a 23cm tin. As previously said, we’re all about that base! So I simply made more than the recipe instructed instead using 350g digestive and 160g butter. I kept all the other measurements the same.
Line the base of the tin with baking parchment. Using a food processor with the blade attachment, blitz the biscuits into fine crumbs. Alternatively, place them in food bag, seal, and crush with a rolling pin. Pour the biscuit crumbs into a bowl, add the melted butter and stir together. I used the method I use when making the base of my Key Lime Pie instead which is to pour the melted butter into the food processor whilst the blade is going – much easier, saves using another bowl and spoon. Tip into the lined tin and press into the base with the back of a spoon. Place the tin in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to allow the base to set.
Meanwhile, place the strawberries in a saucepan with 80g of the sugar and 30ml of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the strawberries are soft and the liquid has reduced by half. Take off the hob and set aside until completely cold.
Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) Gas mark 3. Prepare the topping by using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment to beat together the cream cheese and remaining sugar on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl now and then. Tip in the cooked strawberries and stir in by hand, ensuring that they are evenly dispersed.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin – it should be about two-thirds full. Place in a roasting tin (first wrap the cake tin in foil. TIP – to prevent any water leaking into the cheesecake while it is baking, place the filled cake tin on a large piece of foil and fold it up around the sides of the tin. Then place the cake tin in the roasting tin and fill with water up to about 5mm from the top of the cake tin. This creates a water bath in which to bake the cheesecake, preventing it from drying out and cracking the oven. I then realised why it would have been better using a 20cm tin… it’s near impossible to find a roasting tin big enough to fit the 23cm in. Fortunately, after going through every cupboard, I found one near-perfect. It wasn’t quite deep enough to fill with water to 5mm below the cake tin so I just filled the roasting tin to the brim. (As I’m typing this I wonder how I’m going to get the whole thing out of the oven without spilling boiling water everywhere…)
Bake for approximately 30minutes or until firm on top with a very slight wobble in the centre. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature still in the tin, then place in the fridge to chill and set for 1-2 hours.
Using the electric whisk or freestanding electric mixer, beat the mascarpone and icing sugar on a medium speed until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the double cream until soft peaks form, then fold it into the mascarpone.
Remove the chilled cheesecake from the fridge and pour the mascarpone cream on top, spreading it evenly. Place back in the fridge for a few hours, or preferable overnight, to set.
When you are ready to serve, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and top with fresh strawberry halves.
