The Weekend Recipe: Baked Cheesecake

While we love any variation of a cheesecake, nothing beats the classic: a combination of the crunchy biscuity base, moreish cream cheese and macerated berries. And it’s versatile too: while the baked cheesecake is the ultimate grand finale to an indulgent meal with friends, it is also a go-to treat to be enjoyed whenever a craving strikes (preferably with a nice cup of tea). 

The following is enough for approximately two 20cm cheesecakes – so plenty for you and your guests. For the best results, start preparing a day in advance to let the base rest overnight.


Ingredients
400g digestive biscuits 
160g melted butter
600g Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature) 
1 tsp sea salt (plus a pinch for biscuit base)
300ml sour cream
397g condensed milk
4 eggs 
270g double cream
400g mixed blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries (fresh or frozen)
4 tbsp caster sugar


Method
To make the cheesecake 
1. Crush the biscuits 
2. Add the melted butter and mix together 
3. Press mixture into 2 x lined and sprayed 20cm ring mould (half into each)
4. Blind bake at 180°C for 12 minutes and chill 
5. Paddle the cream cheese and salt together until soft and whipped
6. Scrape bottom of mixing bowl and add in sour cream
7. Continue mixing until smooth, scrape bowl down and mix in the condensed milk
8. Once fully combined, add the eggs, followed by the double cream
9. Mix ingredients together until evenly blended and smooth
10. Place half the filling into each blind-baked crust
11. Bake for 90 minutes at 100°C 
12. Leave to rest overnight 


To make the macerated berries
1. Halve the berries (equal parts blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
2. Add the caster sugar and toss together 
3. Leave to macerate in fridge for five hours or until sugar dissolves


To serve 
1. Slice cheesecake with a hot knife (8 slices per 20cm cheesecake)
2. Place macerated berries and sweetened juices on top and around to serve