I am sure we all have “go to” recipes for times when we are in a hurry, or just want to return to an old favourite. I adore baked cheesecake and have been using an adapted version of a BBC Good Food one for several years now.
When I found out that I had been asked to make a dessert for lunch with friends, I got out my cream cheese and eggs and quickly got to work. Apologies for the photo, I forgot to snap it in all its glory before we attacked it!
Ingredients
- 12 crushed digestive biscuits (graham crackers)
- 50g melted butter
- 600g cream cheese
- 2 level tablespoons of flour
- 175g sugar
- 3 eggs
- 150ml whipping cream (or heavy cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 jar of cherry jam plus I used some of my cherries in brandy (drained)
- 1 sachet of flavourless gelatine or vegetarian substitute
Heat the oven to 180º C or gas mark 4. Mix the crushed biscuits with the butter and press into a springform tin. Bake for 10 minutes and leave to cool.
Beat the cream cheese, flour, sugar and eggs together then add the cream and vanilla essence and then any fruit filling (not the jam). Blend gently, pour into the tin and bake for 45 minutes. It will still be slightly wobbly in the centre but leave to cool out of the oven. It will continue to cook slightly. I have to confess mine always cracks, I don´t know if there is a way around this – I´d be happy to learn!
For the topping you can either just cover with fruit or make a jelly fruit topping. I did this by adding a sachet of powdered gelatine to about 4 tablespoons of cold water. In a small pan warm the jam until it starts to bubble then pour it over the gelatine and mix well until all the granules have dissolved. Leave it to cool down until almost cold and starting to set then pour over the cheesecake (still in the tin). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and remove from the fridge an hour before serving to reach room temperature.
Chica Andaluza 
This sounds a good way to use the cherries I preserved in Armagnac!
You inspired me with those!
I would forget to snap a photo…too tasty not to dig in! I’m coming over!
Sometimes the belly rumbles and you have to answer the call!
I love digestive biscuits. Like LOVE. From McVites. I used to have my friend send me them (and the chocolate covered one) from England every year along with Ginger Nuts. Now she’s gone and I’m sad 😦
But this cheery cheesecake is enough to brighten my day. It looks very rich and decadent Tanya! I would say I’d attempt but the best cheesecake I’ve managed to make is in a jar. Every time I try to do a whole one something, goes wrong – sinking, cracking, not knowing when it’s done. I have just given up on cheesecake all together. I’ll live vicariously through all you wonderful cheesecake bakers/makers.
Yay – another McVities fan! We can actually get McVities digestives and chocolate digestives here (the company has a different name but they are the same brand) but not Ginger Nuts. If you send me your address I´ll send you some! In the meantime, we´ll have to search out a recipe for Ginger Nuts as I love them too 🙂
Oh yipee!!!! This just made my entire month!!!!! I’m so excited. I must say that that is very sweet of you. Address coming right now (hahaha).
This looks so delicious! What I’d give for a slice of cheesecake right now.
We ate the last slice 🙂 Sorry!
Bwah!
My remedy for a cracking cheesecake is oven temperature. Long slow bake. Start with a cold oven; don’t preheat! And when the baking is through, turn the oven off and leave the cake in until the oven is cold again. I’m not good with conversions, but 3 hours at 225-250 F always works for me! Cracks or no, your cheesecake is gorgeous!
Wow – thanks for that! I know I covered up the cracks with the topping, but it´s good to know a few tricks like this for when I´m not using one. Thanks so much!
Oh wow, with cherries in brandy too. This looks amazing. Surprised you got a photo at all.
It was a struggle to get that…all gone now 😦 The cherries in brandy were good and I thought of you and Katherine and your boozy fruit “incident”!
I’m not a big dessert person, but I can’t resist cheesecake, especially with cherries in brandy. I bet you had some nice Solera or similar 😉
Me neither, but there are a couple of desserts which do it for me! And yes, we did have some lovely coffee and brandy too 🙂
Adding some of your cherries in brandy must have made the cheesecake extra special. I let my cheese cake cool in the oven with the door cracked open. That seems to help with the cracks similar to what Heather suggested.
Thanks for the tip, I think I´m forgetting to leave it to cool down in the oven (too keen!) so will try this next time!
¡Qué rico!
Me encanta la tarta de queso 🙂 Y me encanta tu receta para hacer queso!!
Muchas gracias por compartir.
Gracias Giovanna – es un postre que me gusta mucho, aunque no tengo que comer demasiado postres 😦
That wee little left behind piece is just the sort of piece I’d love.. and sneak in to snatch it before anyone else could!! Excellent recipe!
No need to sneak in – I´d save you a lovely piece!
Thank you:)
Boozey brandied cherries baked with rich and creamy cream cheese – sounds like a culinary duo destined to be! This looks and sounds fabulous Tanya, and easy to see how it’s become a go-to! Might even be a got-to!
From go-to to got-to…I like that!
If I were going to order any dessert it would probably be a cheesecake variety 🙂 I love cheese and fruit! This looks amazing! 🙂
Cheesecake always seems to be a big hit with most people!
NEED . SLICE . NOW !
🙂 Mandy
Sorry. Should. Have. Saved. You. One!!
I saw the title of this post in my email inbox and started salivating — and the recipe didn’t disappoint. You can come up with this as your “go to recipe”? My go to recipe is just that. I go to the bakery and buy a dessert. Maybe that will change now that I’ve got this recipe. Thanks!
Oh how I miss shops like that! It is a fairly straightforward recipe and has a lovely creamy, vanilla flavour…
Having stated on a few occasions that I’m not a huge fan of cheesecake, I have to say that the recipes I’m seeing from fellow bloggers are making me rethink, and more than that…want some badly! Yours looks easy, delectable and with those brandied cherries…oh my! 🙂
Maybe you could just have the cherries?!
No way, now I want the cheesecake, too, although I would take those cherries any day!
It is a lovely one – not cloying or heavy like some can be…!
I really need to move to Spain and be your new best friend. That cheesecake looks fabulous.
P.S. I always used to keep a plentiful supply of gingersnaps for my friends donkeys – for some reason donkeys LOVE them!
How funny about the ginger snaps -I wonder if it´s the sugar or the ginger they like?!
Fabulous recipe Chica!! I’m absolutely going to make this. I adore cheescake and this looks delicious.
Can vouch for it, have made it so many times now!
Yummy!!!!!!
It was 😉
Oh that looks just delicious.
I think I’ve baked cheesecake about once in my life. My cheesecake ‘go to’ recipe is from a cookbook I bought 50 years ago and it is not cooked. Great to make the day before its needed.
My connection with cooked cheesecake tends to be a summer thing; to enjoy with a glass of wine at any nearby vineyard cafe; chatting with friends for a lazy afternoon tea.
Thanks for the reminder that I haven’t done that this summer just gone.
Ah, that´s a lovely memory and experience – cheesecake and friends! I like non cook cheesecake too, you´ll have to dig out your recipe and share it!
Confession time, I’ve never made a baked cheesecake……… but now I have your recipe 🙂
I never used to, I always went for the non cook ones, but now I´m converted!
Oh my God… I love cherries, I love cheesecake… can you believe I’ve never made a baked cheesecake before… but you know what? I’ve found the one I want to start with. This is hitting my menu for next weekend. It looks absolutely incredible… I’ll let you know how it goes!
It seems that quite a few of us tend not to make baked cheescakes (well, I do now, but avoided it for years!). Can highly recommend this one, even with the little adaptations I had to make from the original recipe.
What a scrumptious-looking slice of cheesecake! Cheesecake is definitely at the top of my list of favorite desserts. 🙂
I love it too now that I know how to make a decent one 😉 It seems to be a favourite dessert with a lot of people!
No apologies necessary. I’m just happy you snapped a drool-worthy photo for all of us to appreciate. The next time I invite friends for lunch I’m assigning one of them THIS recipe. I adore cheesecake.
Now, I have to go see what the cherries in brandy are all about!
Allison
Hi there and thanks so much for visitin and subscribing and your lovely comments. The cheesecake seems to have been a hit! Glad you liked it 🙂
Beautiful dessert! The first time I used digestive biscuits was in a dessert I made in honor of Prince William and Kate’s wedding. It was Prince Williams favorite dessert as a child. The biscuits were delicious. I can’t wait to try this recipe using them again as a crust for your cheesecake. Sounds perfect!
Oh yes I rememebr reading about his love for what I think we call Chocolate Refrigerator cake – I´ve posted a recipe for that too! The biscuits are so simple but one of my favourites. Thanks for visiting and commenting!
I think the photo is wonderful – it looks REAL! I have never made a baked cheese cake before 🙂
Thanks Tandy that means a lot. You´ll probably notice that most of my photos are taken in the oven dishes or on the table just as we are about to eat…!
Yum! How do the cheesecakes made with gelatin compare to the ones made wholly without it and the ones that add custard?
This one actually has a soft creamy texture – not rubbery or cloying as some I have tasted seem to have. It sets well but not rock solid!
I have been craving cheese cake for a while but I am waiting for a chance to make it when we have company or else I might end up eating the whole thing
That is indeed the risk and it´s rather naughty!
This cherry cheesecake looks superb. Its deliciousness is definitely calling me right about now 🙂
It called (very loud) to us too!
I’ll try to do it! 😉 Thanks!
Let me know how it goes!
Sometimes you really forget to take a good picture when something like that is served in front of you
Too often in my case 😉
Cheesecake is my favourite dessert, just love it:)
There is a huge cheescake fan club!
That looks amazing. I have a great recipe for ginger biscuits that my husband, a lifelong McVities fan, prefers to the shop bought time. And they’re a ‘snap’ to make. (Sorry…couldn’t resist).
I’ll copy it up and send it to you.
Please do send the recipe as I made, or tried to make, a recipe from Delia Smith Complete Cookery Course after seeing Tia´s message. I can´t believe anyone tested it as it wouldn´t bind together and then the bottoms burnt before the tops were cooked at the temp they said. Disaster, but the chickens liked them! I know I´ll go “nuts” for your recipe…sorry, had to join in 😉
LOL…I’ll email it across to you. x
So gorgeous Tanya!! Now you know aside from biscotti, baking cheesecake is my favorite!! But I’ve never, ever made a gelatin topping! You blew me away on this one!! And, of course, once I’m settled back into my life, I must try this!! Your slice looks so creamy and delicious!!
Thank you so much Linda! The gelatine fruit topping first came about to cover up the cracks 😉 but now I make it because we really enjoy it!
Appearance means nothing to me – the decadence of this slice is oozing out 😀
Yum!
Happy Easter!
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Choc Chip for visiting and for your comment!
Reblogged this on Halal786's Blog and commented:
Gonna try this Cheesecake!