Bistro Cheesecake

Take this to a BBQ or dinner party and you’ll be the star of the evening!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (160g) coarsely broken plain biscuits, such as Nice
  • ½ cup (60g) almond meal
  • ¼ cup (60ml) cream
  • 75g butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Filling

  • 750g cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

  • 1 ½ cups (360g) sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C or 170°C fan. Using a blender or food processor, process broken biscuits into fine crumbs. Stir together crumbs, almond meal, cream, and melted butter.

2. Using your fingers, press crumb mixture into a 24cm springform pan to come 5cm upsides. Chill while making Filling.

3. Using an electric mixer with paddle or V-groove beaters, beat cream cheese and caster sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon rind and juice. Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared shell, spreading out evenly with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool to room temperature.

4. Increase oven temperature to 220°C or 200°C fan and make Topping. Using an electric mixer, beat sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spoon over cheesecake and spread evenly. Bake for 5 minutes, until glazed and shiny. Remove from oven, cool, then refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours. Serve dusted with grated nutmeg.

Tip 1: The cheesecake can be made a few days ahead and kept covered in the fridge.

Tip 2: If you don’t have a processor, place biscuits in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or the base of a saucepan.