Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe

Vanilla Cheesecake

Prep Time ~ 20 mins	Cooking Time ~ 45 mins
Approx Cost ~ £4.50	Difficulty ~ Easy
Freeze ~ Yes	Serves ~ 8-10

Tip ~ For a nutty textured biscuit base use Hob Nobs in place of the digestives.

Ingredients

150f / 5 ½ oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

250g / 9oz digestive biscuits crushed

115g / 4oz caster sugar

3 tablespoons cornflour

900g / 2lb full fat cream cheese, at room temperature

2 large eggs

115ml / 4floz double cream

1 vanilla pod, scored lengthways and seeds removed or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest 1 lemon

Zest 1 orange

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180C, Gas 4 and grease and line the bottom and sides of a 24cm / 9 inch spring form cake tin.
• Mix the biscuits and butter in a bowl, press into the base of the prepared tin and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Turn the oven up to 200C, Gas 6. Combine the sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Add the cream cheese and beat with an electric whisk, until creamy.
• Add the eggs and beat well. Gradually add the cream, beating until smooth, then beat in the vanilla seeds or extract and lemon and orange zest.
• Scrape the mixture on to the biscuit base and gently shake to level out the surface. Put the cheesecake into the centre of the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling set around the edges. (A piece of foil over the top will stop it browning too much).
• Let it cool at room temperature and serve after 2 or 3 hours, or for a firmer texture, put it into the fridge until nice and cold.