Niamh Larkin’s Basque lemon cheesecake

A crowd pleaser

This rustic looking cheesecake is easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. The recipe is believed to have been created originally by chef Santiago Rivera, in Spain’s Basque Country. Serve it in summer with fresh English strawberries and a strawberry coulis, or enjoy at any time of the year with your own choice of seasonal fruits. Niamh’s top tip is to allow it to cool overnight to ensure the perfect set.

Method

• Preheat the oven to 230°C/gas mark 8.
• Line a 9-inch cake tin with double greaseproof paper, ensuring it firmly covers the sides and tie it tightly around the outside edge.
• Put the cream cheese in a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Add the sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract and salt and blend thoroughly.
• Add the crème fraîche and blend for a further few minutes.
• Next, add the eggs and blend for the final time.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Turn the oven down to 205°C/gas mark 6 and let it cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Take care when removing the cheesecake from the oven as it will be very soft.
• Leave to cool at room temperature then store in the fridge overnight.
• Serve the next day with fresh strawberries and strawberry coulis.

Serves 8-10