baked cheesecake

i got brave a while ago and made my first baked cheesecake. it was a lot easier than i had thought it would be - and tasted delicious! i got the recipe here... and look how pretty it turned out!

easy classic baked cheesecake

ingredients:

cheesecake biscuit base:

200g crushed milk arrowroot biscuits

120g unsalted butter , melted

cheesecake filling:

500g softened cream cheese

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

125g full fat sour cream

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

zest of 1 lemon

3 room temperature eggs

topping:

berry mix, preferably not frozen

icing sugar to dust

instructions:

preheat oven to 160c or 140c (fan forced)

get a 20cm springform cake tin. turn the base upside down, butter sides and place a square piece of baking paper on the base. clip into the springform pan.

cheesecake biscuit base:

blitz biscuits in a food processor. add butter, briefly blitz until it resembles wet sand.

pour into the prepared cake tin. use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and up the walls.

use  a measuring cup to press the crumbs up the wall almost to the top of the sides, and flatten the base.

filling:

beat the cream cheese until smooth. add flour, beat until just combined.

add vanilla, sour cream, sugar and lemon zest. beat until just combined.

add eggs one at a time, beat in between until just combined. do not over beat. pour into prepared crust. bake for 55 minutes. the top should be a very light golden brown, not cracked, and near perfectly flat. it should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan. cool the cake in the oven with the door open 20 cm. then refrigerate for 4 hours+ in the pan. remove from tin. top with berries and dust with icing sugar... and if you're me, drip melted white chocolate on top too. delish! 

side note: do not be tempted to use low fat anything in this cake. you'll end up with some runniness, which is not a good thing. resist the urge. i learned because i had low fat sour cream in the fridge and i did my usual move of "use what you have." never again.

super yum. going on the "must make again list." i love, love cheesecake and the little lemony tang was perfect. ♥