Denise says:
The Children of Israel were looking forward to entering ‘the land of milk and honey’ – just think generations later how we have captured their excitement by enjoying the pleasure of eating cheese cake!
This recipe is both quick and simple to make as well and uses few ingredients. As variations, I have made the cake with the following different flavourings:–
Chocolate and cinnamon as per this recipe
1 tablespoon lime juice with zest of 2 limes + 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut – garnish with zest of a lime and 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon instant coffee
4 tablespoons fresh raspberries – garnish with raspberries and sprigs of mint
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes plus cooling
Serves: 8 – 10 people
Ingredients:
450g curd cheese or cream cheese2 eggs
225g caster sugar
15 digestive biscuits
100g unsalted butter/margarine – melted
Flavouring
50g grated plain chocolate
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Topping
450ml sour cream (3 small cartons)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
Garnish
Plain chocolate shavings
Cinnamon
Method
1) Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/ 350ºF/ Gas mark 4.2) Line and grease a 22 cm (9 inch) loose-bottom cake tin.
3) Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs (using a rolling pin or food processor) and mix well with the melted butter.
4) Press the biscuit mixture into the lined baking tin in an even layer.
5) Beat the cheese, eggs and sugar together. (Add your desired flavouring at this stage!)
6) Pour over the biscuit base.
7) Bake for 30 minutes and remove from the oven gently.
8) Mix together the sour cream and caster sugar. Pour over the cake and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
9) Turn the oven off.
10) Leave the cake inside the oven until the cake has completely cooled down. This prevents it from cracking!
To serve the stylish way: Turn the cake out of the tin and dust the top with shavings of plain chocolate and a dusting of cinnamon.