A recipe from the Foxford Café cookbook by Kathleen Flavin …
“This cake is quite the festive showstopper, but it’s great all year round with different toppings. The cake itself can be prepared well in advance and even frozen. Pile fresh berries or peaches on top with some chocolate shavings, or spread some lemon or passion fruit curd over the top. It is light and sweet, so the topping should be tart. Biscuit bases can also be varied – I prefer to use digestives or gingernuts because of their naturally grainy texture and slight saltiness.” @chef.kathleenf
Serves 10-12
For the base
170g butter
350g digestive biscuits For the cake
400g cream cheese (I use Philadelphia)
A drop of vanilla extract (optional)
160g caster sugar
15g leaf gelatine
500ml cream
70g white chocolate
For the cranberry sauce
250g fresh cranberries
50g sugar
1/4 orange, zest and juice, plus extra zest to serve
1 star anise
1/4 lemon, zest only
Method
For the base
1. Line the base and sides of a 25cm loose-bottomed cake tin with parchment paper. I don’t grease cheesecake tins, as it leaves a residue on the cake, so dampen the underside of the parchment with water to keep it in place.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave or a saucepan over a low heat.
3. Pop your digestive biscuits into a plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, crush them until they are well crumbled.
4. Mix the butter and biscuit crumbs together well, ensuring all the biscuit is coated in the butter, then press into the base of the tin until well compacted. Pop in the fridge while you make the cake mix.
For the cake
1. Place the cream cheese, vanilla (if using) and sugar in a bowl and mix using a spatula.
2. Soak the gelatine leaves in ice-cold water for about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the cream to soft peaks using a hand-held or stand mixer.
4. Check the gelatine is soft and jelly-like. Squeeze the water out well. Place in a saucepan over a low heat, and add 3 tablespoons of the whipped cream. Warm the mix until the gelatine has dissolved to a liquid.
5. Chop the white chocolate into pieces. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and melt on a low setting, stirring frequently. Or to use the water-bath method instead, place the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of warm water on a low heat – the water should not touch the bowl. Stir frequently using a dry, clean spatula. Use a dry tea towel to lift off the bowl once the chocolate has melted, being careful of the escaping steam.
6. Using a spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cream-cheese mix.
7. Whisk the melted gelatine quickly into your chocolate. Add a third of the cream-cheese mix to this and whisk quickly so the chocolate does not set once it hits the cold cream. Finally, fold in the rest of the cream-cheese mix using a spatula.
8. Pour onto the biscuit base and allow to set overnight in the fridge.
For the cranberry sauce
1. You can also make the sauce the night before. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to the boil slowly. Simmer until the berries are soft and begin to break down.
2. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Keep in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
To serve
1. Remove the cake from the tin, pull off the parchment and place it on your selected plate or stand. Spoon the cooled cranberry sauce over it, grate some orange zest on top and serve.