Blackcurrant cheesecake

• unsalted butter↗140g g

  melted, plus extra for the pan

• digestive biscuits↗300g g
• golden sugar↗275g g
• blackcurrants (fresh or frozen)100g g

  (bring to room temperature for 1 hour before using if frozen)

• corn starch1 tsp tsp
• full‑fat soft cheese↗900g g
• plain flour↗4 tbsp tbsp
• vanilla extract↗2 tsp tsp
• eggs↗3
• sour cream↗200ml ml

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C fan/gas 6. Butter the sides of a 23 cm (springform) pan and line it with parchment paper. Place the biscuits in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs, then add the butter and pulse again until homogeneous. Press the mixture into the pan, compact it into an even layer and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside.

2. 2

   Combine 25 g of sugar and the blackcurrants in a small saucepan. Mix the corn starch with 1 tbsp of cold water, then add to the pan. Heat over low‑medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the sugar dissolves, then raise the heat to medium and boil for 1–2 minutes until a sauce forms. Set aside.

3. 3

   Whisk the soft cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again, then add the flour, vanilla, eggs and cream, and whisk once more until a smooth, well‑combined batter forms.

4. 4

   Pour half of the cheesecake mixture onto the cooled biscuit base, then spread half of the chilled blackcurrant sauce over it. Pour the remaining mixture, gently smooth the surface with a spatula. Drizzle the remaining blackcurrant sauce, then lightly spread it over the mixture using a skewer or the tip of a spoon. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 110 °C/90 °C fan/gas ¼ and bake for another 30 minutes until the cheesecake sets, remaining slightly wobbly in the centre. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 1 hour, then slightly open the door and leave for another hour. Finally, let it cool completely at room temperature, then chill for at least 3 hours or overnight before slicing. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.