Blossom cheesecake

As requested by friend of mine (Ms. Jumie). I’m going to share with you my favourite cheesecake recipe. But before I start, does u know that cheesecake is a dessert that originated from Greece? Then cheesecakes were introduced to Great Britain and Western Europe by the Roman conquering armies. Cheesecakes were flourishing throughout Scandinavia, England, and north-western Europe. Ever since the dawn of time, mankind has striven to create the perfect cheesecake. Now days there are hundreds of different cheesecake recipes. The ingredients are what make one cheesecake different from another.

For the base
• 150g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 250g digestive biscuits, crushed

Filling
• 90g caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons corn flour
• 600g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 300g tub mascarpone cheese
• 115ml whipped double cream
• 2 large free-range or organic eggs
• 1 vanilla pod or 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• zest of 1 lemon


Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4, and grease and line the bottom and sides of a 24cm 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. Then remove from the oven and allow it to cool.

Turn the oven up to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Combine the sugar and corn flour in a bowl. Add the cheese and beat, ideally 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 zest.

Scrape the mixture on to the biscuit base, and gently shake it to level out the surface. Put the cheesecake in the centre of the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling has 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 slightly firmer texture, put it in the fridge until it’s nice and cold.