Cheesecake is a great party trick dessert even for novices; it will convince your friends and family you’re an expert. My standard menu when cooking for a new boyfriend for the first time was veal saltimbocca, wild rice, sautéed spinach and cheesecake for dessert. Let’s just say it was a successful approach and leave it there. This recipe is based on Mother Wonderful’s basic recipe; I first read her book in the 1980s and her approach has been my go to ever since for cheesecake.

This is a basic cheesecake recipe; a butter and biscuit crumb crust filled with a five ingredient filling. It is extremely adaptable – experiment and improvise to your heart’s delight once you’ve made it. Change the flavourings, change the biscuit (cookie) crumbs that form the base. Rum raisin, chocolate, salted caramel, even Nutella or Biscoff make amazing cheesecakes.

I know there is ‘better’ quality cream cheese available but I suggest you use Philadelphia original for this recipe. It produces a very reliable cake and is never known to curdle. Once you’re comfortable with the recipe, use organic or local cream cheese. It may not blend in the same way so be nimble. Only two cheesecake sins as far as I’m concerned: graham crackers as crust and gloopy tinned fruit as topping. Otherwise, go wild.

I bake my own biscuits for the base; plain chocolate, sugar cookies or gingerbread. You want a relatively dry biscuit that makes even crumbs; plain digestives or ginger snaps. Obviously, no chocolate coated cookies, no filled cookies, sandwich cookies and no Jaffa cakes. I’m not touching the ‘is it a cake or a biscuit’ controversy I’m just saying Jaffa cakes are not suitable for making crumbs for cheesecake base.

Let’s get baking.

Recipe

Crust

• 110 grams butter (salted or unsalted)
• 170 grams biscuits (cookies) for crumbs (add extra if you’re prone to eating the
• 110 grams sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170C.
2. Grind the cookies into fine crumbs in your food processor. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl.
3. Melt the butter and combine with sugar. Add the mixture to your crumbs and combine well with a whisk or a fork.
4. Put about half of your crumb mixture in the un-greased springform pan. Cover the fingers of one hand in cling film and press the crumb mixture first up the sides up the pan, as close to the top as you get it. Add more crumbs if you need them. Short video here.
5. Once you’ve covered the sides, add the remaining mixture and cover the base. Try to avoid create a wedge of crumb crust where the sides meet the base – it’s yummy but leaves you less crumb for the sides and bottom.
6. Cover the outside of the spring form pan with foil and place it on a baking sheet. The weight of the filling will force some butter out of the crust, hence the need for the foil. Put to one side while you make the filling.

• 

• 

• 

Filling

Ingredients

• 900 grams of Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature if you remember but go ahead if not – it will just need more beating)
• 390 grams of caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• pinch of fine salt
• 4 large eggs

Instructions

1. Using the whisk attachment – beat the cream cheese on high speed for five minutes.
2. Add the sugar and beat for a further two minutes.
3. Add the vanilla extract and salt and combine briefly.
4. Incorporate the eggs one at a time with the mixer on the slowest speed. I like to break them into a jug and then pour them into the slowly turning mixture. Short video here.
5. Pour the filling mixture carefully into the springform pan. It will be quite full. This is why it’s already covered in foil and sitting on a baking sheet.
6. Transfer to the oven. Bake for 55 minutes. This is one recipe where I will err on the side of over-baking. The centre should be firm. It may rise and appear to crack.
7. Take out of the oven when done. Allow to cool completely and any cracks should settle. The crust will pull away from the edges of the springform pan.

• 

The finished cheesecake can be stored for two to three days in the refrigerator. Wrap tightly in cling film because it may absorb food odours. Bring it up to room temperature to serve.

If you find yourself with too much cheesecake (like that ever happens), you can freeze single servings for up to three months. Allow an hour or so to defrost.

Thank you for reading the blog, sharing and cooking the recipes.

Tags: baked cheesecakecheesecakenew york style cheesecakeparty trick dessert