Ingredients
- For the base:
- 150g (5oz) digestive biscuits, finely crushed
- 75g (3oz) butter, melted
- For the filling:
- 85g (3 ½ oz) raisins soaked overnight or longer in 60ml (4 tbsp) yellow rum
- 500g (1lb2oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 125g (4 ½ oz) caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 150ml (1/4 pt) sour cream
- ½ fresh nutmeg for grating
- Creme fraiche to serve
- You will need:
- a 20cm (8in) spring-form tin, base lined with baking parchment
Method
Heat oven to 170C, 150C fan, 325F, gas 3. Place the biscuits and butter in a bowl, stir well then press into the base of the tin. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes then remove and leave to cool.
Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the caster sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream and beat well until thoroughly combined. Stir in the raisins, reserving a few for decoration if you like. Pour the mixture over the base. Give a couple of sharp taps on the worktop to remove any air pockets then smooth the surface. Finally grate plenty of fresh nutmeg over the surface.
Place the cheesecake on a baking sheet and cook for 35-40 minutes. The top should be set with a good wobble in the middle. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a round bladed knife around the outside. Leave to cool before chilling in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours or preferably overnight.
Remove the cheesecake from the tin and slice into thin slices. Scatter a few reserved raisins over the top and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche.
Top Tip
The easiest way to finely crush biscuits is to place them in a large freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin. When making a baked cheesecake don’t over beat the cheesecake filling. You do not want lots of bubbles in the mixture, as this can spoil the dense creamy texture.
