Name: Easy berry cheesecake with berry syrup
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Easy berry cheesecake; 200 gram digestive biscuits; 100 gram butter, melted; 1/2 standard packet lemon jelly crystals; 1/2 cup boiling water; 2 lemons, zest of one and juice of both; 200 gram cream cheese; 150 gram cottage cheese; 50 gram sour cream or crème fraîche; 100 gram caster sugar; 150 millilitre whipped cream; 1 punnet fresh strawberries, hulled, washed and sliced into rounds; 2 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 tablespoon caster sugar; Berry syrup; 1 cup berries; 75 millilitre pinot noir; 1/3 cup sugar

Easy berry cheesecake with berry syrup

Nici Wickes shares her mum's recipe for silky, decadent cheesecake. Serve with sweet strawberries and fruity berry syrup at your next cake-worthy occasion

Serves 8

Prep

40M

Marinate

24H

This recipe first appeared in New Zealand Woman’s Weekly.

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Ingredients

Easy berry cheesecake

200 gram digestive biscuits

100 gram butter, melted

1/2 standard packet lemon jelly crystals

1/2 cup boiling water

2 lemons, zest of one and juice of both

200 gram cream cheese

150 gram cottage cheese

50 gram sour cream or crème fraîche

100 gram caster sugar

150 millilitre whipped cream

1 punnet fresh strawberries, hulled, washed and sliced into rounds

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon caster sugar

Berry syrup

1 cup berries

75 millilitre pinot noir

1/3 cup sugar

Method

Easy berry cheesecake

1.Crush the digestive biscuits (use a food processor or a zip- lock bag and rolling pin) until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix. Press into the base of a 28cm spring form tin (a smaller tin is okay, you will get a deeper cheesecake). Place in the fridge or freezer to chill while you make the filling.

2.Sprinkle the jelly crystals over the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the lemon zest and juice, stir well and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until thickened but not set.

3.Place the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 10 minutes to soften and whip it until soft. Add the cottage cheese, sour cream and caster sugar, continuing to beat. The mixture should be soft with a few lumps from the texture of the cheeses.

4.Add the lemon jelly liquid and whisk lightly to combine before pouring into the pre-chilled biscuit base.

5.Chill overnight or until the top is set and just firm to the touch.

6.Combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and sugar, then set aside, even overnight. They will soften up and be gorgeous served with slices of cheesecake.

Berry syrup

7.Simmer berries (Nici used fresh blueberries and boysenberries) with pinot noir and sugar until thickened. Strain the mixture through a sieve and it’s ready to serve.