Vanilla cheesecake with roasted figs

Name: Vanilla cheesecake with roasted figs
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Sunflower or vegetable oil, for greasing; 3 sheets leaf gelatine; 3 tbsp milk; 330 g Essential Waitrose full fat soft cheese; 300 ml pot double cream; 100 g Billington's Golden Caster Sugar, plus 1 1/2 tbsp; 4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract; 4 figs, quartered

Sweet, syrupy figs are the crowning glory of this simple, no-bake cheesecake. Here, that crucial biscuity base is more buttery thanks to crushed shortbread.

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Serves12
CourseDessert
Prepare35 mins
Cook20 mins
Total time55 mins
Pluschilling + cooling

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Ingredients

Sunflower or vegetable oil, for greasing
3 sheets leaf gelatine
3 tbsp milk
330g Essential Waitrose full fat soft cheese
300ml pot double cream
100g Billington's Golden Caster Sugar, plus 1 1/2 tbsp
4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract
4 figs, quartered

Biscuit base

2 x 125g packs mini shortbread
80g unsalted butter, melted

Method

Grease a 20cm-diameter springform cake tin with oil and line the base and sides with baking parchment. For the base, whizz the shortbread to crumbs in a food processor. Tip into a bowl and stir in the melted butter until coated. Press evenly into the base of the tin, then chill while you make the filling.
Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small pan until just simmering; take off the heat. Squeeze the gelatine to remove excess water, then stir into the warm milk until dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.
Put the cheese, cream, 100g golden caster sugar and 2 tsp vanilla in a large bowl (or a freestanding mixer) and whisk to soft peaks. Add the cooled milk mixture and whisk again to combine. Pour on top of the biscuit base, level the top with the back of a spoon and chill until set (at least 4 hours or overnight).
Meanwhile, for the roasted figs, preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. Put the quartered figs in a small ovenproof dish with 1 tbsp water. Sprinkle over the remaining 1½ tbsp golden caster sugar and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool.
To serve, release the cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the roasted figs on top and spoon over the syrupy roasting juices.