New York Cheesecake

A delicious desert from New York

Ingredients

• For the crust
• * 100g digestive biscuits, (7 biscuits), put in a strong plastic food bag and bashed with a rolling pin to make crumbs
• * 35g butter, melted
• * 1 heaped tbsp demerera sugar
• * pinch ground cinnamon
• For the filling
• * 750g cream cheese
• * 225g caster sugar
• * 4 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk lightly beaten
• * 1 heaped tbsp plain flour
• * 50ml double cream
• * 1 tsp vanilla extract
• * 2 tsp lemon juice
• * 1 heaped tsp lemon zest
• * 1 heaped tsp orange zest
• For the cream topping
• * 320ml soured cream
• * 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
• * 1 heaped tbsp granulated sugar
• For the blackberry topping
• * 115g apricot jam
• * blackberries
• * icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

STEP 1:

. Preheat the oven to 220/gas 7. Grease and line a 23cm spring-form cake tin.

STEP 2:

STEP 3:

2. For the crust: combine the biscuit crumbs, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl, then press into the bottom of the tin. Chill in the fridge while you are making the filling.

STEP 4:

STEP 5:

3. For the filling: cream the cheese and sugar together, beating well. Gradually add the egg, continuing to beat well. Stir in the flour, followed by the cream, vanilla, lemon juice and zests.

STEP 6:

STEP 7:

4. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 110C/ gas ¼ and bake for a further 45-55 minutes, until set but not browned.

STEP 8:

STEP 9:

5. For the cream topping: meanwhile, prepare the topping by mixing together the soured cream, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl.

STEP 10:

STEP 11:

6. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and raise the temperature to 180C/gas 4. Spread the topping over the cake and return it to the oven to bake for a further 5-10 minutes until set but not colouring. Remove from the oven and put into the fridge to chill overnight.

STEP 12:

STEP 13:

7. Carefully remove the outside ring before serving – it’s easier to leave the cake on the base.

STEP 14:

STEP 15:

8. For the blackberry topping: to make a glaze gently heat the jam with some water, pass through a sieve and then paint onto the top of the cake whilst still warm. Finish by covering with blackberries and a dusting of icing sugar.