Baked Raspberry Cheesecake

The secret of a good baked cheesecake is serving it well chilled, so make it the evening before you want to serve it.

Preparation time :	15 minutes
Cooking time :	40 minutes, plus chilling overnight
Total time :	55 minutes, plus overnight chilling

Serves: 8

Ingredients

50g butter
200g pack Waitrose Chocolate Chunk Cookies, finely crushed
500g curd cheese, from the cheese service counter
1 x 142ml pot double cream
75g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
25g cornflour
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g fresh raspberries, plus extra for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C, gas mark 3. Grease and line a 15cm-square (or 18cm diameter round) loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.
2. To make the base, melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the crushed biscuits until evenly combined. Press this mixture into the base of the tin so that it is evenly covered. Leave to chill in the fridge until required.
3. Place the curd cheese and cream in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric whisk, beat in the icing sugar and cornflour. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth. Stir in the raspberries, then pour the mixture on to the biscuit base. Place on a baking sheet, then cook in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until just set in the centre and firm around the edges. Turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake to cool there for 11/2-2 hours, before transferring to the fridge to chill completely.
4. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange extra raspberries on top, decorate with mint leaves and dust with icing sugar. Serve portions with raspberry coulis and, to be truly decadent, dollops of whipped double cream.

Cook's tips

Crush the biscuits in a clean plastic food or freezer bag using a rolling pin – or blitz in a food processor.