Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with Cherry Coulis

Preparation

For the base:
Prepare a springform pan about 10 inches wide and 3 inches tall and line the base with greaseproof paper. Wrap the pan with 2 sheets of heavy duty silver foil.

Crush biscuits until fine, or blitz them in a food processor. Pour melted butter in and stir. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of the cheesecake tin and bake at 175ºC (about 350ºF) for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:
Beat cream cheese with an electric beater until smooth. Add sugar and beat again until smooth and creamy. Add one egg at a time and beat until fully incorporated, then add the next egg.

Add the lemon juice, vanilla essence, pinch of salt and cream and beat until combined. Pour the mixture onto the cool base. Place on a baking tray and put it in the oven on the middle shelf.

Carefully pour about 1 inch of boiling water into the baking tray so that the cheesecake will stay extra moist and creamy. Bake for 65 minutes at 175ºC (about 350ºF). If you notice the top browning a bit too much, place a piece of silver foil over the tin and continue baking.

Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour to cool down very slowly.

For the coulis:
Put all ingredients into a small saucepan and simmer on medium heat until the fruit breaks down and a a glaze is forming. Sieve the coulis into a bowl and then spoon over the top of the cool cheesecake. Reserve the whole fruit mixture to add to your breakfast.

Notes:
1. If you don’t have a food processor to blitz the biscuits, just place them in a resealable bag and crush them with a rolling pin until they are fine.
2. If your baking tray is not deep enough to add 1 inch of boiling water, use what you have and keep topping the water up every half an hour or so.