Baking · serves 2

Baked Cheesecake

No eggs, and it still sets. Cornflour and a slow cool are the whole trick.

90 min A proper cook Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 150g plain biscuits
  • 75g butter, melted
  • 225g sugar
  • 150g cream cheese
  • 120g mascarpone
  • 90g sour cream
  • 30g cornflour
  • 60ml milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • Caramel top: 200g sugar, 75g butter, 60ml cream

Method

  1. Crush the biscuits, mix with melted butter, press firmly into a lined 20cm tin and bake 10 minutes at 180°C.
  2. Beat sugar, cream cheese, mascarpone, sour cream, cornflour, milk and vanilla until smooth. Don't whip air into it — air is what cracks a cheesecake.
  3. Pour onto the base. 10 minutes at 180°C, then drop to 110°C for 40 minutes.
  4. It should wobble in the middle and pull very slightly from the tin. It is not meant to look set.
  5. Switch the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside until the oven is stone cold. Rushing this is what cracks the top.
  6. An hour in the fridge minimum.
  7. For the caramel: melt sugar undisturbed until dark amber — do not stir — then stir in butter and cream. Cool slightly, pour over.

Questions people ask about Baked Cheesecake

How long does Baked Cheesecake take?

About 90 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a proper cook. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What is the one thing to get right in Baked Cheesecake?

Beat sugar, cream cheese, mascarpone, sour cream, cornflour, milk and vanilla until smooth. Don't whip air into it — air is what cracks a cheesecake.

What can I use instead of cream cheese in Baked Cheesecake?

Use hung curd, thickened overnight in a cloth. Tangier and less sweet, so adjust the sugar.

Can I make Baked Cheesecake ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Baked Cheesecake vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Do I need an oven for Baked Cheesecake?

Yes, this one needs an oven. If you do not have one, look at the no-oven filter on the baking page: eleven of the bakes here are built for a cooker, a pan or the fridge.

What do you serve with Baked Cheesecake?

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

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