A creamy baked cheesecake that makes just 4-6 slices.
Ingredients
- 100 grams (approximately 13 cookies) Biscoff Lotus cookies
- 40 grams (2 and 1/2 tablespoons) salted butter
- 250 grams (1 and 1/4 cup) full fat block cream cheese, softened, roughly chopped
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- Zest of 1 small lemon (approximately 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat sour cream, room temperature, plus extra for serving
- Fresh raspberries, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 C (340 F) standard / 150 C (300 F) fan-forced. Grease and line a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with baking or parchment paper, ensuring two sides overhang.
- Add cookies to a food processor and whiz until finely crushed. Melt your butter in the microwave, then pour over the cookie crumbs and mix well. It should resemble wet sand.
- Transfer your crumbs to your prepared pan and press down gently using the back of a dessert spoon to form one even layer. Pop crust in the fridge while you make the cheesecake batter.
- Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add egg and egg yolk, and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of your bowl.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice and sour cream and beat on a low speed until smooth and creamy – but try not to over mix. Pour your cheesecake filling over your crust and smooth the top. (See below notes on using a water bath).
- Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until it no longer wobbles in the middle. Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar (with the oven turned off) for one hour.
- Transfer cheesecake to the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight) until it cools completely and becomes nice and firm before slicing. Top slices with sour cream and fresh raspberries.
Notes
Cookies: You can really use whatever store bought biscuits or cookies you prefer. I have tested this recipe with both Digestives and Biscoff Lotus cookies and both were wonderful. For a plain, more traditional cookie crust, go for Digestives, Graham Crackers or Arnotts Marie. For a sweeter, spiced crust, opt for the Biscoff Cookies. Or you can even do half, half, as long as you have 100 grams in total.
Butter: If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
Cream cheese: I recommend using a block of full fat block cream cheese, rather than the low fat or spreadable kind.
Sour cream: If you don’t have access to sour cream, you can use full fat Greek yogurt or thickened cream or heavy cream. However, for best results, I recommend full fat sour cream.
Water bath: A water bath can help your cheesecake bake slowly and evenly. To make one, simply fill a larger loaf pan or baking pan with a few inches of boiling water. Place it in the oven, then carefully place your cheesecake pan inside, so the hot water comes a few inches up the sides of your cheesecake. Bake as per above.
