Lemon cheesecake recipe

EVERYBODY loves a cheesecake and a lemon one is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, especially at this time of year.

The cold-set variety (which firms up in the fridge as opposed to being baked in the oven) is easy to make.

My 11-year-old daughter and I rustled this one up in no time, following a recipe in the excellent recipe bible Step-by-Step Baking by Caroline Bretherton (Dorling Kindersley, £25).

Lemon cheesecake (Serves 8) 

Chilling time: Four hours (or overnight)

You will need: 22cm (9in) round springform cake tin

Ingredients

250g (9oz) digestive biscuits
100g (3 ½ oz) unsalted butter, diced
4 sheets of gelatine, roughly cut up
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
350g (12oz) cream cheese
200g (7oz) caster sugar
300ml (10fl oz) double cream

Method

1. Put biscuits in a bag and crush with a rolling pin to crumbs. Place in bowl.

2. Melt the butter and pour over the crushed biscuits, mixing well to combine.

3. Press biscuit mixture firmly into the base of the tin using a wooden spoon. Place in fridge to set.

4. In a small, heatproof bowl, soak the gelatine in the lemon juice for five minutes to soften.

5. Place the bowl over a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatine melts. Set aside to cool.

6. Beat together the cream cheese, caster sugar and lemon zest until smooth.

7. In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream to soft peaks. Make sure it is not stiff.

8. Beat the gelatine mixture into the cream cheese mixture, stirring well to combine.

9. Gently fold the whisked cream into the cheese mixture. Be careful not to loose volume.

10. Tip the cheese mixture on to the chilled biscuit base and spread evenly.

11. Smooth the top with a damp palette knife or the back of a damp spoon. Decorate with lemon zest.

12. Chill for at least four hours or overnight. Run a sharp, thin knife around the inside of the tin.

13. Gently turn the cheesecake out on to a plate. Serve.

Note: It can be made two days ahead and stored in the fridge.