I love having a delicious homemade cheesecake for serving at Christmas (or at any other time of the year) especially one which can be prepared in advance and frozen.

This baked cheesecake freezes beautifully before adding the two toppings, and the compote can be made ages in advance as it is a jam which will keep in a sterilised jar in the fridge.  

I try not to use refined sugar in my recipes but I did use caster sugar in this cheesecake and in the compote.   I substituted a mixture of *gluten-free biscuits for the digestive and gingernut biscuits adding a little pinch of ginger powder along with the cinnamon which worked well. 

This dessert was extremely popular over Christmas with my guests and not a crumb was left – a sure sign it was well received. 

INGREDIENTS:

For the base
*85g digestive biscuits
*40g gingernut biscuits
50g melted butter
1.5 teaspoon coconut sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the filling:
675g full-fat cream cheese
170g caster sugar (or sub coconut sugar)
1.5 teaspoons cornflour
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
100g blackberries
90ml double cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon

For the compote:
200g blackberries
200g sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Fresh blackberries and blueberries to finish.

METHOD:

Blitz the biscuits to a sandy consistency, stir in the sugar and cinnamon then add the melted butter. Mix well then pour into a lined 8” springform cake tin and press down evenly.

Bake for 9 minutes at 180°C and cool.  Leave the biscuit base in the tin but cover the side and base with tin foil.  Put to one side.

In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer (or use a food processor) beat together the cream cheese and sugar then add the cornflour and eggs and mix together until smooth.

Crush the blackberries in a small bowl and drain some of the juice from them. Add to the cream cheese mixture together with the cream, lemon zest and vanilla and mix really well together.

Pour onto the cooled base and bake at 220°C for 10 minutes then for one hour at 110°C. Turn the oven off, open the door and leave the cheesecake to cool for a further hour in the oven. Pop into the fridge for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight before decorating.

At this stage, the cheesecake can be successfully frozen for completing at a later stage. Wrap well and thaw thoroughly.

To make the compote (this can be made in advance and stored in the fridge).
Crush the blackberries slightly in a saucepan. Add the lemon juice and sugar and continually stirring, slowly bring to the boil. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes until the ‘jam’ reaches 220° on a sugar thermometer. Pour into a sterilized jar and leave to cool. Store in the fridge.

To assemble:
Remove the cheesecake/base from the tin and spread the top with the homemade blackberry compote, using the remaining compote as a jam for your toast or scones.

Pile high with fresh blackberries and blueberries.

Delicious fresh Blackberry Cheesecake

Adapted from a recipe originally seen in StyleofWight.

NB: All photographs used in the blog have been taken by me, and are of recipes I have made and served myself.