Ultimate Cheesecake - Sweet Baby James

Ingredients

• 1 Sponge cake (Pre-made sponge flan or cake, sliced to line the tin)
• 900 g Full-fat cream cheese (Softened)
• 400 ml Double cream
• 3 Eggs
• 200 g Caster sugar
• 4 tbsp Cornflour (Helps bind the mixture)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp Orange liqueur
• 1 Orange zest (Finely grated)
• 100 g Dark chocolate (Melted, for marbling and shards)
• 50 g White chocolate (Melted, for garnish shards)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Line the base and sides of a 10-inch springform tin with slices of pre-made sponge cake, ensuring there are no large gaps.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, combine 900g of full-fat cream cheese and 400ml of double cream. Mix until smooth.

4. 4

   Add 3 eggs, 200g of caster sugar, and 4 tablespoons of cornflour to the cream cheese mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated.

5. 5

   Stir in the vanilla extract, orange liqueur, and orange zest.

6. 6

   Pour the cheesecake filling into the sponge-lined tin.

7. 7

   Drizzle a small amount of melted dark chocolate over the top and swirl it with a knife to create a marbled effect.

8. 8

   Place the tin on a baking tray and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The cheesecake is done when the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble when shaken.

9. 9

   While the cheesecake bakes, prepare the garnish by spreading melted dark and white chocolate onto a parchment-lined tray and swirling them together. Chill in the fridge for 45 minutes until set, then break into shards.

10. 10

    Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before removing from the tin and decorating with the chocolate shards.

Notes

Using cornflour is essential as it acts as a stabilizer to hold the heavy cream cheese mixture together during baking. For the best texture, ensure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature before mixing.

Nutrition per serving

• cheesecake
• dessert
• baked
• chocolate
• orange
• celebration