BLACK FOREST CHEESECAKE

A crunchy biscuit base plus a cherry filling equals a divine dessert in this delightfully easy recipe from Sophie Grigson

Ingredients

FOR THE BISCUIT BASE
- 220 g chocolate digestive biscuits
- 110 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp cinnamon
FOR THE FILLING
- 3 sheets gelatine
- 150 ml single cream
- 300 g cream cheese
- 125 g caster sugar
- 1 lemon, grated zest and juice
- 300 g cherries, fresh or canned, pitted
- 150 ml double cream, whipped
- 1 egg white
FOR THE SAUCE
- 250 g cherries, fresh or canned, pitted
- 1/2 lemons, juice only
- sugar, to taste

Method

1. Finely crush the biscuits, and stir in the melted butter and cinnamon. Press the buttery crumbs evenly over the base of a 24cm loose-bottomed flan or tart tin. Refrigerate until set.
2. To make the filling, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft.
3. Bring the single cream to a boil, and then take off the heat. Remove the gelatine leaves from the water, squeeze out any excess water, and stir into the cream, until dissolved. Leave the mixture to cool.
4. Put the cream cheese into a bowl with the sugar, half the lemon zest and lemon juice. Beat together until smooth and creamy.
5. Mix in the single cream mixture and then the cherries.
6. Fold in the whipped cream.
7. Whisk the egg white until it forms stiff peaks, and fold into the cheesecake mixture.
8. Pour the mixture into the tart tin and smooth down lightly. Chill until set, before sprinkling with the remaining lemon zest.
9. For the sauce, place the cherries, lemon juice and sugar to taste, into a food processor or liquidiser and pulse until smooth. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Serve with the cheesecake.

Prep time: 40 min, plus 2-3 hrs setting time
Cook time: 2 min
Serves: 8