By Christin Gewek
MAKES ONE 24 CM (9½ INCH) CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
// For the base
75 g (2½ oz) butter
175 g (6 oz) digestive biscuits
1½ tsp brown sugar
1 generous pinch of salt
// For the filling
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cream cheese
200 g (7 oz) low-fat quark or Greek-style yoghurt
185 g (6½ oz) caster sugar
1½ tbsp vanilla sugar
¼ cup (30 g) cornflour
1½ tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 ⁄3 cup (175 ml) single (pure) cream
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
// Also
Butter, for greasing
About 2 cups (250 g) mixed fresh or frozen berries, thawed
1 tsp cornflour
About 1 tbsp honey
Method
1 // Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Carefully line a 24 cm (9½ inch) springform tin with baking paper and butter the side.
2 // For the base, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Put the biscuits in a resealable plastic bag and finely crush with a rolling pin. Thoroughly combine the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter, brown sugar and salt. Press the biscuit mixture into the tin evenly and firmly and bake for 8–10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven to 160°C (320°F).
3 // Blend the berries and strain them through a fine sieve. Remove about 2 tablespoons for marbling and refrigerate the rest for the sauce.
4 // For the filling, mix the cream cheese and quark together until smooth. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla sugar and cornflour. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then quickly whisk in the cream, eggs and egg yolk, mixing until everything is well combined. Do not overmix to prevent bubbles from forming when baking. Spread the filling evenly over the base. Dot the top with the 2 tablespoons blended berries. Pull a fork through the berries to create a marbled effect.
5 // Bake the cheesecake for about 45 minutes. Do not open the oven door during cooking, or the surface will crack. When the cheesecake is cooked, switch off the oven and leave the cake to cool. Leave the oven door closed for the first 30 minutes, then open the door slightly and leave to cool for another 1½ hours. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, set aside to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
6 // Before serving, carefully slide a sharp knife around the cake edge. Remove the cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Bring the remaining strained berries to the boil in a small saucepan. Dissolve the cornflour in a little cold water. Whisk into the fruit and simmer for 1–2 minutes, stirring, to thicken. Sweeten with honey. Serve the berry coulis with the cheesecake.
Images and text from Fairytale Baking by Christin Gewek, photography by Yelda Yilmaz, Murdoch Books RRP $39.99
