Ginger-crust cheesecake with blackberry and hazelnut jam

Serves 8-10 Cakes, Bread and Pastries

Advertisement

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4. Grease the base and sides of a 20cm diameter, 7cm deep, loose-bottomed cake tin and line the sides only with a greased baking paper ring that sits at least 12cm tall, to come up over the top of the tin.

To make the crust, melt the butter in a small pan. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor with a pinch of salt and the ground ginger, or put in a bag and bash with a rolling pin, until they’re like breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl and slowly pour the melted butter over the crumbs, mixing as you go until they are completely saturated and darker in appearance.

Firmly pack the crumb into the base of the prepared tin and bake in the middle of the oven for around 14 minutes, turning as it bakes, until evenly golden brown. Set aside to cool and reduce the oven to 160C/140C F/Gas 3.

Using a stand mixer or electric hand whisk, beat the cream cheese with the soured cream or mascarpone until light and fluffy. Mix in the sugar, a little at a time, then fold through the whisked eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and juice.

When the base has cooled, waterproof the cake tin by wrapping up the bottom and sides securely with foil. Boil the kettle. Spread a thick layer of jam over the crumb base, loosened with 1–2 tsp cold water if needed, then put the tin into a deep roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the cake tin. Gently pour the cheesecake filling into the cake tin until quite close to the top edge of the tin (the baking paper ring will protect it from overflowing).

Very carefully transfer to the rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 80–90 minutes until the filling is slightly puffy, with a gently wobble in the middle and a slight golden tinge on the surface.

Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath while still hot, then remove the foil and leave the cake to cool in the tin on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before chilling in the fridge for 8–12 hours. The cake will shrink as it cools. When removing from the cake tin, use a warmed palette knife to gently ease off the base of the tin, then slice. It will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Blackberry and hazelnut jam

MAKES AROUND 4 X 250ML JARS

1.25kg blackberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted
40ml water (if using fesh fruit)
30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
600g white granulated sugar
50g unsalted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Follow the jam method, stirring through the chopped hazelnuts straight after the sugar has dissolved, enabling them to get to the heat required for a sterile environment in your jar.

COOK’S NOTE
You can toast the nuts, which enriches their flavour and releases the natural oils, but rest and pat them dry, as the oils can mess with the preservation of your jam.

This recipe was taken from the October 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.