This is my absolute favourite cheesecake recipe and as a cheesecake addict, trust me I’ve tried a lot! π I can’t claim all the credits though. While I tweaked it to my own taste and made it gluten free, ultimately it’s based on this fantasticΒ New York cheesecake recipeΒ from BBC Good Food.
Unlike their recipe, one of the key differences is that I love using lime instead of lemon. And l love to put a lot more than they do too. Seriously lime in cheesecake is the best! Do it. :p
I also prefer not to add extra sugar in the crust as well as putting much less butter. Basically I changed the quantities a little, but the gist of it is like that recipe.
Another thing to bear in mind is that depending on what size cake pan you’re using, this recipe might result in way more batter than needed. My cake pan is relatively small and shallow (1.5 inch high x 7.5 inch diameter) so I always find myself with a lot of leftover. That’s fine by me though; it’s a great excuse to make a batch of baby cheesecakes to freeze. π
This recipe yields a whole cheesecake + 9 mini ones for me so feel free to halve or make 2 thirds of it if using a cake pan like mine.
Alternatively, you can just make a tonne of baby cheesecakes (using a muffin tray) and stick them in the freezer. That’s my favourite thing to do. They take only 30 to 45 seconds to defrost in the microwave and taste amazing. Some cheesecakes don’t freeze too well (in the sense that it affects the texture), but I often do it with this recipe with great results each time.Β They make a perfect snack or dessert and as the portion is relatively small, it also prevents me from eating large servings… π
I aslo find this recipe produces the best cheesecake texture. Just the right amount of creaminess and ‘cakey-ness’. Cakey enough for it to hold perfectly while remaining very smooth and creamy. If you’re crazy you prefer your cheesecakes more cakey than creamy, feel free to add a bit more flour. π
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 135g digestive biscuits (or whichever ones you want; I used Morrisons gluten free shortbread)
- 3 Heaped Tbsp unsalted butter
For the cake:
- 900ml plain cream cheese (3 x 300ml tubs)
- 150ml sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp plain flour (I used Doves Farm gluten free)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of half a lime (or more depending on how limey you like it – the more the better in my opinion!)
- 3 eggs
Directions
For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 180C (356F).
- Crumble the biscuits as fine as you can (I use a mortar and pestle), melt the butter in the microwave (in instances of 10-15 seconds) and mix together.
- Grease the cake pan with butter, press the mixture on the bottom and bake on the middle shelf for about 10 minutes. Take it out and leave to cool while making the filling.
For the filling:
- Increase the temperature to 220C (428F).
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. I used a hand held mixer (on medium/low speed) for a couple of minutes, butΒ a whisk will work just as well (except taking longer).
- Slowly add the sugar, flour and salt while still mixing. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed properly.
- Add the vanilla extract, lime zest and juice. At this point you can use just a whisk or the mixer on low.
- Add the eggs, one at a time.
- Add the sour cream and mix briefly until everything is blended and the batter is smooth, light and somewhat airy. Don’t overdo it.
- Pour the batter in the cake pan and smooth the top with a knife.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Turn the temperature down to 110C (230F) and bake for another 25 minutes. When shaking the pan, the cake should still have a slight wobble.
- Turn the oven off and let the cake sit inside with the door closed (or slightly opened) for an hour or two.
With a passion fruit on top.
And here with mashed blueberries.
Great with a drizzle of sour cream on top too. π
