Peach Melba cheesecake

• butter↗100g g

  melted, plus a little extra for the tin

• crunchy biscuit200g g

  (we used Fox's butter biscuits)

• soft cheese↗600g g
• icing sugar↗100g g

  plus extra to taste

• vanilla extract↗2 tsp tsp
• pot double cream↗300ml ml
• raspberry↗450g g
• really ripe peaches3

  peeled if you like, or 6 canned peach halves (juice saved), diced into raspberry-sized chunks

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Line the base and sides of a 20cm loose-bottomed or springform tin with baking parchment – use smudges of butter to help the paper stay in place around the sides. Put the biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin, then mix thoroughly with the melted butter. Tip into the prepared tin and press down firmly to create an even base. Chill while you prepare the filling.

2. 2

   Put the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Tip in the cream and continue beating until mixture is combined. Scatter over 100g of the raspberries and half of the peach chunks. Using a spatula, fold in with just a few folds – as you assemble the cheesecake they’ll ripple through more.

3. 3

   Spoon the cream mixture onto the biscuit base, working from the edges inwards. Smooth the top of the cheesecake down with the back of a dessertspoon or spatula. Leave to set in the fridge overnight.

4. 4

   In a food processor, blitz 250g of the remaining raspberries, sieve, stir back in 1 tsp of the seeds, if you like, and sweeten to taste with icing sugar. Add enough water or canned peach juice to make it saucy and chill until serving.

5. 5

   Bring the cheesecake to room temperature about 30 mins before serving. If using a loose-bottomed tin, unmould by placing on top of a can, then gradually pull down the sides of the tin. Slip the cheesecake onto a serving plate, removing the lining paper and base. Scatter the remaining raspberries and peach chunks over the cheesecake, dribble over some of the sauce and serve the rest alongside.