Little Strawberry Cheesecakes

Individual portions will save fights over the biggest slice of this creamy ricotta pud with fruity compote

• Cooking Time Prep 40 mins
  Cook 35 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  378

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  21g

• Fat

  29g

• Saturates

  17g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  15g

• Salt

  0.5g

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• 6 digestive biscuits, finely crushed
• For the filling
• 250g tub ricotta
• 50g icing sugar
• zest 1 lemon, juice of ½
• 1 egg and 1 yolk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 150ml double cream
• For the topping
• 2 tbsp strawberry jam, melted
• 3 strawberries, halved

Directions

1. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and line 6 muffin tin holes with muffin paper cases. Melt the butter, stir in the biscuit crumbs until well mixed, then press as firmly as you can into the bases of each paper case. Chill them while you make the filling.
2. Beat the ricotta with the sugar, lemon zest and juice, whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the cream until it just holds its shape, then fold into the cheese mixture. Spoon evenly into the paper cases, right up to the tops, then tap the tin on the work surface to flatten the filling. Bake for 30 mins, then turn off the oven and allow to cool completely inside.
3. To decorate, top each cheesecake with 1 tsp jam and a strawberry half.

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Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake

The creamy, sweet texture of this baked vanilla pudding is complimented by a vibrant fruit sauce

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
  Cook 45 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 14 bars

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  606

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  39g

• Fat

  47g

• Saturates

  28g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  24g

• Salt

  1g

Ingredients

• 300g digestive biscuits
• 140g butter, melted
• 275g golden caster sugar
• 100g blueberries
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 3 x 300g packs full-fat cream cheese
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 200ml pot soured cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a 20 x 30cm rectangular tin with baking parchment. Put the biscuits in a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Add the butter and blitz again to combine. Tip into the tin, press down firmly with the back of a spoon to cover the base, then bake for 10 mins. Leave to cool.
2. Meanwhile, tip 25g of the sugar and the blueberries into a small pan. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp cold water and add this to the pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bubble for 1-2 mins until saucy. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese with an electric hand-held whisk until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again. Add the flour, vanilla, eggs and soured cream, and whisk until smooth and well combined.
4. Pour half the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base, then spoon half the blueberry sauce on top in small blobs. Cover with the remaining cheesecake mix and smooth the surface with a spatula. Drizzle the remaining blueberry sauce over the top, then use the end of the spoon to ripple it into the cheesecake. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the heat to 110C/90C fan/ gas ¼ and bake for a further 30 mins. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hr, then leave for 1 hr more with the door ajar. Finally, leave at room temperature until completely cool, then chill for at least 3 hrs or, even better, overnight. Slice into 14 bars. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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Bakewell Cheesecake

This almond and cherry baked cheesecake is a heavenly marriage of two amazing desserts

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr
  Cook 45 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  740

• Protein

  13g

• Carbs

  57g

• Fat

  51g

• Saturates

  27g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  37g

• Salt

  0.9g

Ingredients

• 200g/7oz almond biscuits
• 100g toasted flaked almonds
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 100g butter, melted
• 3 x 300g packs full-fat soft cheese
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 200ml tub soured cream
• just over half a 300g jar cherry jam
• icing sugar and cream, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the base and sides of a 23cm springform tin with baking parchment. Bash the biscuits and 75g of the flaked almonds to crumbs-try double-bagging in food bags and crushing with a rolling pin. Mix with the almond extract and melted butter, then press into the base of the prepared tin and bake for 10 mins. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
2. In your largest bowl, whisk the cheese with an electric whisk until creamy. Add the sugar and whisk to combine. Whisk in the flour, then the vanilla, the eggs, one at a time, and finally the soured cream.
3. Dollop spoonfuls of mixture into the tin, dotting in tbsps of jam as you go. Smooth the top as gently as you can.
4. Carefully place tin on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 10 mins. Scatter with remaining almonds. Decrease oven to 110C/90C fan/gas ¼ and bake for a further 35 mins. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed and leave cheesecake to cool for 1 hr. Open oven door and leave it ajar for another hour (you can use your oven gloves to wedge it open). Cool for a third hour at room temp, then cover and chill overnight.
5. Remove from the tin and carefully peel off the parchment. Dust with icing sugar and serve with cream.

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Peanut Butter Cheesecake

This irresistible cheesecake is the perfect indulgence for peanut butter fans - freeze for up to two months and serve as a show-stopping dinner party dessert

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6 - 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  743

• Protein

  19g

• Carbs

  53g

• Fat

  52g

• Saturates

  22g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  44g

• Salt

  0.81g

Ingredients

• For the base
• 50g butter
• 175g pack peanut cookies
• For the filling
• 5 gelatine leaves
• 500g tub ricotta
• 175g smooth peanut butter
• 175g golden syrup
• 150ml milk
• To decorate
• 270ml pot double cream
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 bar peanut brittle, crushed

Directions

1. Oil and line a 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tin with cling film, making it as smooth as possible. Melt the butter in a pan. Crush the biscuits by bashing them in a bag with a rolling pin, then stir them into the butter until very well coated. Press the mixture firmly into the base of the tin and chill.
2. Soak the gelatine in water while you make the filling. Tip the ricotta into a bowl, then beat in the peanut butter and syrup. Ricotta has a slightly grainy texture so blitz until smooth with a stick blender for a smoother texture if you prefer.
3. Take the soaked gelatine from the water and squeeze dry. Put it into a pan with the milk and heat very gently until the gelatine dissolves. Beat into the peanut mixture, then tip onto the biscuit base. Chill until set.
4. To freeze, leave in the tin and as soon as it is solid, cover the surface with cling film, then wrap the tin with cling film and foil.
5. To defrost, thaw in the fridge overnight.
6. To serve, carefully remove from the tin. Whisk the cream with the sugar until it holds its shape, then spread on top of the cheesecake and scatter with the peanut brittle.

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Baked Raspberry & Lemon Cheesecake

A rich and creamy baked cheesecake that makes a great dinner party dessert

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 45 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  611

• Protein

  11.3g

• Carbs

  53.6g

• Fat

  38.8g

• Saturates

  23.4g

• Fibre

  1.4g

• Sugar

  37.2g

• Salt

  1.2g

Ingredients

• 200g digestive biscuits
• 75g butter, melted
• 600g full-fat soft cheese
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 150g tub natural yogurt
• 3 medium eggs
• finely grated zest 2 lemons, juice of 1
• 50g plain flour
• 200g raspberries
• icing sugar, to decorate

Directions

1. Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas and line the base of a 20cm round springform tin with greaseproof paper. Crush the biscuits in a food processor or in a food bag using a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl with the melted butter and mix well. Push the biscuits into an even layer into the base of the cake tin and chill until needed.
2. In a separate bowl use an electric whisk to beat the soft cheese with the sugar. Next beat in the yoghurt then the eggs one at a time. Finally beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Fold through two thirds of the raspberries crushing them very slightly so they start to bleed into the mix then tip the mix on top of the biscuit base and smooth over the top. Bake for 45 mins then turn off the oven, leave the cake inside for another hour then cool at room temperature. Chill overnight. To serve, remove from tin, scatter with remaining raspberries and dust heavily with icing sugar.

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Orange & Pomegranate Cheesecake

A perfect dinner party dessert with pretty fruit decorative topping and cream cheese on a buttery biscuit base

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 8-10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  529

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  31g

• Fat

  40g

• Saturates

  25g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  19g

• Salt

  1g

Ingredients

• 250g digestive biscuits
• 100g butter, melted
• 600g full-fat cream cheese
• zest 3 oranges - cut out the segments for the decoration
• 3 tbsp milk
• 100g icing sugar
• 150ml double cream
• seeds 1 pomegranate, or 110g tub pomegranate seeds

Directions

1. Crush the biscuits roughly-either put them in a plastic food bag and crush with a rolling pin, or whizz them in a food processor to chunky crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the melted butter and tip into a 23cm springform tin. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the biscuit mixture evenly to form the base. Chill until set, about 30 mins.
2. Put the soft cheese, zest, milk and icing sugar into a bowl and blend using an electric mixer until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until the mixture is the consistency of thick custard. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and spread evenly. Return to the fridge and chill until set, at least 4 hrs or overnight.
3. To serve, top with the orange segments and scatter over the pomegranate seeds.

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Peach Melba Cheesecake

A no-cook, make-ahead party favourite with a thick, cream cheese topping, a buttery biscuit base and finished with raspberry coulis

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  562

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  28g

• Fat

  47g

• Saturates

  30g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  20g

• Salt

  0.9g

Ingredients

• 100g butter, melted, plus a little extra for the tin
• 200g crunchy biscuits (we used Fox's butter biscuits)
• 600g soft cheese
• 100g icing sugar, plus extra to taste
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300ml pot double cream
• 450g raspberries
• 3 really ripe peaches, peeled if you like, or 6 canned peach halves (juice saved), diced into raspberry-sized chunks

Directions

1. Line the base and sides of a 20cm loose-bottomed or springform tin with baking parchment-use smudges of butter to help the paper stay in place around the sides. Put the biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin, then mix thoroughly with the melted butter. Tip into the prepared tin and press down firmly to create an even base. Chill while you prepare the filling.
2. Put the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Tip in the cream and continue beating until mixture is combined. Scatter over 100g of the raspberries and half of the peach chunks. Using a spatula, fold in with just a few folds-as you assemble the cheesecake they'll ripple through more.
3. Spoon the cream mixture onto the biscuit base, working from the edges inwards. Smooth the top of the cheesecake down with the back of a dessertspoon or spatula. Leave to set in the fridge overnight.
4. In a food processor, blitz 250g of the remaining raspberries, sieve, stir back in 1 tsp of the seeds, if you like, and sweeten to taste with icing sugar. Add enough water or canned peach juice to make it saucy and chill until serving.
5. Bring the cheesecake to room temperature about 30 mins before serving. If using a loose-bottomed tin, unmould by placing on top of a can, then gradually pull down the sides of the tin. Slip the cheesecake onto a serving plate, removing the lining paper and base. Scatter the remaining raspberries and peach chunks over the cheesecake, dribble over some of the sauce and serve the rest alongside.

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Rich Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake

With a crunchy biscuit base and rich mousse topping, this make-ahead, no-cook celebration pudding is easy as pie

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  691

• Protein

  10.4g

• Carbs

  42.5g

• Fat

  52.1g

• Saturates

  28.7g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  31g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• For the base
• 100g 70% plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 100g butter
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 200g Hob Nobs
• For the mousse
• 100g 70% plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 200g milk chocolate (at 30% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
• 4 eggs, separated
• 300ml whipping cream
• 3 x 150g punnets raspberries

Directions

1. For the base, melt the chocolate with the butter and golden syrup in a bowl over barely simmer watering or on a low heat in the microwave.
2. Put the biscuits in a bag and crush with a rolling pin until they reach a crumb consistency. Combine the two and spread over the base of a 23cm springform tin. Refrigerate for about an hour to set.
3. For the mousse, melt the remaining plain chocolate and the milk chocolate together in the same way and allow to cool until lukewarm. Using an electric beater, whisk the eggs whites in one bowl to stiff peaks. Softly whip the whipping cream in another bowl until thickened but not as far as soft peaks.
4. Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate, then beat the cream into the mixture-a balloon whisk is good for this. Work quickly if the chocolate looks like it might be becoming grainy. Gently fold in the eggs whites, spread the mixture over the biscuit base and return to the fridge overnight.
5. Release from the tin and decorate with concentric circles of raspberries and serve.

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Rhubarb Ripple & Gingerbread Cheesecake

A dazzling dessert with spiced biscuit base, cream cheese topping and a poached fruit compote with stem ginger

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 20 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  705

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  66g

• Fat

  46g

• Saturates

  28g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  51g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• 800g full-fat cream cheese
• 300g tub soured cream
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 3 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
• zest 1 orange
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• For the gingerbread base
• 200g plain flour
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• pinch of cinnamon
• 100g butter
• 5 tbsp golden syrup
• 3 tbsp black treacle
• For the poached rhubarb
• 140g soft brown sugar
• juice 1 orange
• 50g stem ginger from a jar, sliced, plus 50ml of the syrup
• 400g forced rhubarb, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1-2 tsp grenadine (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the base and sides of a 23-24cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. To make the base, rub together the flour, sugar and spices in a large mixing bowl, making sure there are no lumps of sugar. Heat the butter, golden syrup and treacle in a small saucepan until just boiling, then pour into the dry ingredients, mixing to a smooth dough. Press evenly into your cake tin, then bake for 10-12 mins until golden. Leave to cool.
2. To make the poached rhubarb, put the sugar, orange juice, ginger and syrup in a large pan and cook until just dissolved. Add the rhubarb, cover with a lid and poach on the lowest possible heat for 5-7 mins until just tender.
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the rhubarb and stem ginger to a plate, being careful not to damage the shape. Increase the heat and reduce the liquid for a few mins until just syrupy. If you like, add a splash of grenadine to make a bright pink syrup. Using a fork, crush half the poached rhubarb with enough syrup to give a thick compote. Stir in the whole pieces and set aside to cool completely. Reserve the remaining syrup to serve.
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, soured cream, sugar and cornflour. Whisk in the eggs, yolks, orange zest and vanilla until evenly combined, then pour into the tin. Dot spoonfuls of the cold rhubarb compote over the filling with a little extra syrup and ripple through with the back of a spoon.
5. Bake for 10 mins. Reduce oven to 120C/ 100C fan/gas ½ and bake for 50-55 mins more. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed and leave the cheesecake for 1 hr. Open the oven door a little, keep it ajar with oven gloves and leave for a 1 hr more. Remove and leave at room temperature until completely cool, then chill overnight.
6. To serve, remove from the tin and carefully remove the baking paper. Slice and serve with the reserved syrup.

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Blackberry & Almond Meringue Cake

Impress your friends and family with this fabulous celebration cake

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 20 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 8 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  668

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  67g

• Fat

  43g

• Saturates

  22g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  48g

• Salt

  0.75g

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 200g butter, softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 200g self-raising flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 2-4 tbsp milk
• 150g punnet blackberries
• For the meringue
• 2 egg whites
• 100g golden caster sugar, plus a sprinkle
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds
• For the filling
• 200ml double cream, lightly whipped
• 4 tbsp bramble jelly

Directions

1. Line the base of two loose-bottomed 20cm non-stick sandwich tins with baking parchment. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
2. Put all the cake ingredients (except the blackberries and using just half the milk) in a bowl, then beat until creamy and well mixed. Stir in 100g blackberries, along with the extra milk if you need it to loosen the mixture a little. Divide between the sandwich tins and level the tops.
3. Quickly whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl, adding the 100g sugar, a spoonful at a time, until really thick and glossy. Lightly spread onto one of the cakes, then sprinkle with the flaked almonds and extra sprinkle of sugar. Bake both cakes for 40 mins, then take the cake without the meringue out of the oven and set aside. Bake the remaining cake for 30 mins more until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Carefully remove cakes from the tins and cool on a wire rack. When the cakes are cold, peel off the paper.
4. To serve, spread the cream on the plain cake right up to the edges. Spoon over the bramble jelly, then sandwich with the meringue-topped cake and decorate with the remaining blackberries.

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