There is no better way to start your holiday than with a piece of homemade cake. We always find baking therapeutic. The thoughts are coming and going in a lethargic motion whilst hands are busy following familiar patters. It is easy to relax in the world of kitchen away from the pressure of our day jobs. That is, of course, if you did not happen to invite your friends and family for a meal to mark the first day of your summer leave…
Not to put you under unnecessary stress we have chosen a recipe we have been following for years, somehow always successfully. The key is probably the simplicity of the ingredients mixed by hand, poured over a biscuit base and baked. No fancy equipment or knowledge of black Michelin magic required.
Yet, the result is absolutely stunning, utterly delicious and totally satisfying. I mean, who does not like cheesecake, with its soft texture, velvety richness and heavenly lightness? This baked cheesecake has another dimension that its uncooked sibling lacks: the smell. The whole house is just filled with a sweet anticipation…. Time to celebrate!
THE BUTTERY BISCUIT BASE
Ingredients:
- 250g Digestive biscuits
- 40g light brown sugar
- 75g butter (softened) plus extra for greasing the tin
Method:
Crumble the biscuits into a fine crumb using tips of your fingers (or food processor if you have one). Add sugar and softened butter and mix well together. Place the mixture inside the buttered 26cm tin and press down until the base is level and firm.
THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
Ingredients:
- 4 free range eggs, yolks separated from the whites
- 135g caster sugar
- 400g Philadelphia Light cream cheese
- 200g creme fraiche
- zest of 1 lemon
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180deg C
Beat yolks and sugar together with a whisk. Add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Then incorporate creme fraiche into the mixture and add lemon zest.
Whip the egg whites to peak consistency and gently fold into the mixture.
Pour the filling over the biscuit base.
Bake for 20min in 180 deg, then turn the oven down to 150 deg and bake for further 40min or until a skewer inserted into the middle will come clean.
Remove from the oven and cool down on a cooling rack.
THE SUMMER BERRY COMPOTE:
Ingredients:
- 500g of fresh summer berries
- 200g water
- 100g sugar
- 1 sachet of pectin
Method:
Mix pectin and sugar together and dissolve in water over a low heat. Bring to simmer and add your berries in a sequence from the hardest to the softest (e.g.. cherries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, redcurrants). Cook each batch for 1min before adding another fruit. This will help to cook your berries without loosing their shape. Remove from the heat and cool down rapidly placing your pan in a bowl of icy water.
To serve:
Best served at room temperature. Dust with icing sugar and top generously with the berry compote.
