Autumn brings with it a wonderful jumble of seasonal fruits. There are canes dripping with plump raspberries, blackberry covered brambles in the hedgerows, and dusky plums in the orchard. A simple cheesecake, made with thick cream and fresh eggs, is the perfect accompaniment for them. This recipe is our take on the famous burnt cheesecake which originated in the La Viña Café in the Basque region of Spain, but we’ve added sweet vanilla and warming cinnamon to compliment the fruit.
Main INGREDIENTS
- Dairy
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- 400g caster sugar
- 4 medium eggs, beaten
- 1kg full-fat cream cheese
- 400ml double cream
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- A handful of raspberries
- A handful of blackberries
- 1-2 plums
- Edible flowers to decorate - we used viola tricolour (optional)
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Method
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1Preheat the oven to 210°C. In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to beat the caster sugar with the eggs until smooth. Then add the cream cheese and continue to beat until all the lumps are gone and the mixture looks like a smooth custard, then stir in the cream. Sprinkle over the cinnamon and stir that in too along with the vanilla bean paste.
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2Pour the cheesecake batter into your Le Creuset 24cm round spring form cake tin and bake in the oven for around 50 minutes or until dark brown around the edges, patched lighter brown in the centre, and set but wibbly (like jelly). Leave to cool in the tin, during which time it will firm up and sink, particularly in the middle, then unclip the cake tin and carefully turn the cheesecake out onto a plate or board. Then decorate with a jumble of raspberries, blackberries, and plums, plus the edible flowers (if using).
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3The cheesecake can be served at room temperature or chilled according to your preference (see note below).
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4Chef's Notes:
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5We have suggested using a whisk to mix the cheesecake batter, as this is the quickest way to blend in the cream cheese without lumps, whilst ensuring the mixture stays cool and therefore doesn’t get too runny for the tin, but note that the aim of the whisk is not to incorporate air here, so keep it well in the mixture and use it to beat as you would with a spoon.
