Kris Kirkham

I love cheesecake, but somewhere between all the complex versions out there, I lost my appetite for making it. However, this one is slightly different to some recipes, as it doesn’t require baking or gelatine and doesn’t set in the same way as a regular cheesecake, so the texture is softer and creamier. Even if, like me, you are not the world’s most talented pastry chef, it will still be a showstopper. This cheesecake is best made and refrigerated the day before you want to serve it.

A recipe from Bazaar by Sabrina Ghayour (Mitchell Beazley). Buy the book here.

Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
250g digestive biscuits
100g unsalted butter, melted
600g full-fat cream cheese
250g mascarpone cheese
350g icing sugar, sifted
400g raspberries
250g pomegranate seeds
METHOD
Step 1
Line a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper.

Step 2
Place the biscuits in a food bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely ground, or blitz in a food processor. Transfer the crumbs to a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter and mix well. Tip the mixture into the lined baking tin and use a spatula to flatten it out into a smooth, even layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 3
Whisk together the cream cheese, mascarpone and icing sugar briefly in

Step 4
a large mixing bowl, just until combined, then add the raspberries and continue to whisk until evenly mixed – the mixture becomes just a little thicker once the raspberries are mixed in, and their added moisture will not make the mixture too runny. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 5
Remove the biscuit base and the cream cheese mixture from the refrigerator and carefully spoon the mixture over the base to fill the tin. Use a spatula to smooth out the surface until flat and even. Ensure the pomegranate seeds are dry, then add them to the top of the cheesecake in a layer so that they cover the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight.

Step 6
To remove the cheesecake from the cake tin, gently place it on an overturned small bowl, then unclip and remove the tin. Carefully peel away the baking paper and slide the cheesecake on to a large plate or platter. (If the cheesecake has not set firmly enough for you to remove it cleanly from the tin, pop it into the freezer for 20 minutes.) Serve immediately.