Ingredients

Method

Equipment: 8 or 9” springform cake tin (or cake ring w foil wrap), shallow baking tray, food processor (or stand mixer), offset spatula.

Serves 12-16 slices

Cake needs to set in the fridge overnight.

Base

200g chewy ginger biscuits (Aldi sells the best ones)

200g scotch fingers

125g salted butter, softened

1 tsp flaky salt

1-2 tbs water, if needed

Filling

500g cream-cheese

300g sour-cream

170g caster sugar

10g cornflour

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

Base

Grease an 8 or 9 inch round springform cake tin with spray oil or butter. Alternatively, layer a sheet of baking paper over a piece of foil, ensuring it is 10cm bigger than the cake ring. Place the ring in the centre and carefully wrap the paper/foil around the base of the ring, coming up half way to the top of the ring’s exterior. Grease and place on a shallow baking tray.

Blitz the biscuits in the food processor until fine and crumbly. Add in the butter and salt, continue to pulse until it looks even and clumps between your fingers. If its too dry, add 1-2 tbs of water.

Deposit the crumb into the base of the cake tin/ring. Using the bottom of a glass, evenly press the crumb into the base and about 4 cm up the sides, it doesn’t have to be perfect around the sides, it tends to look better when it has a hap-hazardous effect. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling

While the base chills and before you make the filling, preheat the oven to 165 degrees Celsius.

Place the cream-cheese in a clean food processor/stand mixer and pulse/beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides, then add the sour-cream.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and cornflour, mix until well combined.

While the cream cheese mixture is turning, pour in the sugar/cornflour mix in a slow steady stream. Continue mixing for 2 minutes, to allow the mixture to emulsify. Scrape down the sides, add the vanilla, and then the eggs, scraping between additions. The mixture should be smooth, thick and pourable.

Assembly

Remove the base from the freezer, place it on a shallow baking tray. Pour 1/3 of the cream-cheese mixture over the base. *If adding fruit or caramel, now is the time to scatter some over the filling. If not, continue to pour the remaining 2/3s of the mixture. Gently even out the top with an offset spatula

Carefully place the cake in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and gently cover with a loosely fit piece of foil. Continue baking for 25 -35 minutes. The top should be golden and almost soufflé-like, with a good giggle in the middle. If it's cracked, that’s perfect! That means the cake filling has set, but it isn’t yet overcooked. There will be a little pool of butter in the baking tray, don’t fret! That is normal.

Remove from the oven and cool overnight.

When ready to de-mould, have a cake stand/ large flat plate ready. If you used a cake ring, run a pairing knife around the top edge to release it. Unwrap the foil/paper and with a bit of (gentle) force, push the cake upwards, you’ll end up with the cake ring up your arm, and a beautiful cheesecake in your hand. Place it on the serving plate. If you used a springform cake tin, simply eject the cake by opening the lock, running a large knife between the tin’s base and the cake’s base, and voila! It will release very easily!

Though it may be considered controversial to not use the trusted water-bath method, I’ve found this cheesecake bakes perfectly if you keep the temperature moderately light, and you keep your eye on it.

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