Seasonal Recipe

Cherry Cheesecake

This is a recipe I use every year when my cherry tree has an abundance of the shiny, dark red jewels. I have no idea who gave me this recipe, which is written on what is now a pale brown, sticky, sugar encrusted, piece of note paper. I should really rewrite it but I feel this would somehow impair the end result.
(Originally posted 2009)

Ingredients


For the base

200g digestive biscuits

60g unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp Cinnamon

For the filling

500g full fat cream cheese

2 large eggs, whites and yolks separated

200ml creme fraiche

50g caster sugar

1tbsp cornflour

1tsp vanilla extract

1/2tsp cream of tartar

For the topping

3tbsp redcurrant jelly

500g cherries, stones removed

1tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas 4

To make the base: break the biscuits and place in a food bag, bash with a rolling pin to make crumbs, in a bowl, mix the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter and Cinnamon.

Press the mixture over the base of a 9in springform tin, lined bottom and sides, with greaseproof paper. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

Mix all the ingredients (except the egg whites and cream of tartar) in a large bowl, until smooth. Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and whisk until stiff, then fold into the cheese mixture. 

Pour over the biscuit base and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until pale brown and no longer liquid. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool completely, then remove from the oven and chill.

Warm the redcurrant jelly in a pan. Sieve to remove any lumps. Stir in the sugar and cherries and leave to cool.

To serve: remove from the tin and remove the greaseproof paper. Place on a plate and pile the cherries on top. Serve with creme fraiche.