Wonderful White Chocolate Cheesecake

by Mary Berry
from Food Uncut

Mary Berry's luxuriously smooth cheesecake is a real treat. Serve very thin slices as it is very rich - but so delicious!

• Servings: 8
• Level of difficulty: Intermediate
• Preparation Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the base

• 55g Butter
• 150g dark chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed

For the filling

• 300g good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 400g full-fat cream cheese
• 2 Eggs
• 150ml Soured cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

To serve

• dusting of Cocoa powder
• about 225g Strawberries, or raspberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3.

2. Grease and line the base of a 20cm deep springform cake tin with non-stick paper.

3. To make the base; melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Stir in the crushed biscuits and press evenly over the base of the tin. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

4. To make the filling; break the white chocolate into a bowl and melt over a pan of hot water (do not allow the chocolate to become too hot), stir occasionally with a spoon until runny and smooth.

5. Whisk the cream cheese and eggs together in a large bowl until smooth.

6. Add the soured cream and vanilla and whisk again until completely smooth with no lumps.

7. Stir in the melted chocolate and mix together.

8. Pour into the tin and spread evenly over the chilled base.

9. Bake for about 45 minutes until firm around the edges and just set in the middle.

10. Remove from the oven. Using a small palette knife run the knife around the edge of the tin and then allow to cool and chill.

11. Remove the outside ring and lift the base onto a serving plate.

12. To serve; dust with cocoa powder and decorate with the strawberries or raspberries.

Cook's Notes: White chocolate can be tricky to use when melted - do not allow to get too hot otherwise it becomes grainy. Milky Bar does not melt well - we prefer to use Lindt Continental White Chocolate or Green and Blacks. The surface of the baked cheesecake may crack slightly in the middle - do not worry this is part of its charm! To avoid a really deep crack loosen the tin around the edge before the cheesecake becomes cold.