Serves 10-12

This is adapted from a Yottam Ottolenghi/Helen Goh recipe from their book Sweet. The book is worth getting. It’s a recipe that needs planning ahead as the cheesecake needs to cool in the oven and then chill in the fridge. But its worth the wait. I’m looking forward to making it with with gooseberries.

You need a 23cm springform tin, greased and lined with baking parchment that comes up over the rim by at least 6cms. I used a double thickness of parchment to get a rigid rim as the cheese cake rises into this.

Ingredients

Base

180g Digestive biscuits. You could substitute some nuts for some of the biscuits for a nuttier base. Chop them fine but not as fine as the biscuits.

60g Melted butter

1. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor (or crush with a rolling pin in a teacloth) until fine breadcrumb texture and mix with the melted butter. Spread evenly on the base of the tin pressing down firmly. Fridge the base for 30mins.

You can make the base ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a couple of days. For a crispy base you can bake it before adding the filling – Put it in a preheated oven at 180/160 fan or gas 4 for 15 minutes. Leave to cool.

Fruit layer

250g figs sliced (you could use other dried or fresh fruit, but you don’t want a layer that will go soggy)

250ml orange juice (finely zest first and reserve zest for the filling)

1 cinnamon stick

pinch of ground cloves

2. Add all the fruit layer ingredients to a small pan and simmer for 15-20 mins till you have a reduced sticky mix – stirring regularly. Let it cool and remove the cinnamon stick.

3. Spread the figgy mix evenly over the biscuit base and fridge it while you make the filling.

Filling

500g goats curd

500g mascarpone

250g caster sugar

Zest of 1 orange

4 large eggs – separated

2tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven to 180 or 160 fan/gas 4 - if you haven’t already.

 4. In a bowl or mixer with paddle mix the curd, mascarpone, sugar, egg yolks, orange zest and vanilla until silky smooth.

 5. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until firm peaks. Fold a third of the curd mix in, followed by the remainder then pour over the chilled fig and biscuit base.

 6. Put the tin on a baking tray in the oven and bake for 70-75 minutes checking after 50 and adjusting the tin for an even bake. You want a golden top and the centre only just firm to the touch.

 7. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in there for an hour or so with the door propped ajar with a tea towel. This slow cooling stops the cheese cake cracking on the top.

 8. Leave the cheesecake to cool completely before wrapping and chilling for at least 4 hours. This makes it easier to cut with a knife which you have dipped in boiled water and wiped dry before using.

 

The cheesecake keeps well in the fridge for a few days. I think it would freeze well too but I haven’t tried that yet.

 May 17th 2020