BAKED CHEESECAKE

BAKED  CHEESECAKE:                  AMERICAS
INGREDIENTS:          ( serves 8 )

400  g digestive biscuits
100  g melted butter
1.1  kg cream cheese
300  g sogar
450  g sour cream
7  eggs
15  g corn flour
30  g plain flour

For the optional berries coulis
200  g frozen berries
100  g  sugar

METHOD:

• To make the cheesecake, begin by blending digestive biscuits into crumbs and then incorporating the melted butter.
• Spoon the mixture into a ring or baking pan, greased with butter, which will prevent sticking and help ease the cake out for serving.
• Firmly press the biscuit mixture down to form a 1 cm- thick base, then refrigerate.
• For the filling, beat the cheese, sour cream and sugar until dissolved and slightly fluffy. Beat the eggs separately and add to the cheese mixture little by little. Add the remaining ingredients for the filling into the mixture, and with each addition blend until smooth.
• Pour over the biscuit base and bake the cheesecake for 35 minutes in a pre-heated oven at a very moderate heat of 170C.
• Turn the oven off and leave the cake to cool with the oven door open for another hour to help avoid cracks. Remove the cake from the oven and refrigerate.
• To make the optional accompanying coulis, place the berries and sugar into a hot pan and quickly toss together, then remove from the heat to prevent the mixture from becoming watery, and refrigerate until needed.
• To serve, portion the cake into 8 pieces, place a slice on a plate and then, if desired, spoon over the berry coulis.

TIPS:  The dinner party favourite and restaurant staple, cheesecake is a dessert whose popularity is ongoing. A perfectly baked cheesecake will be puffed around the edges.