Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
45 mins
1 hour 55 mins
10 hours 30 mins
Serves:
One 9-inch cheesecake; 12 slices
Tom W created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. Baking alongside his partner Alex, he set a creamy New York-style white chocolate filling on an almond shortbread base under a sharp raspberry topping. Nigella Lawson loved how the tart raspberries made it zing and admired its retro loo...
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Ingredients
FOR THE ALMOND SHORTBREAD BASE: 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour ½ cup (50 g) almond flour (finely ground almonds) ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar Pinch salt ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, diced ¼ tsp almond extract
FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE FILLING: 6 oz (170 g) good-quality white chocolate, chopped 2 lb (900 g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature ⅔ cup (160 g) full-fat sour cream ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream 2 tsp vanilla extract
FOR THE RASPBERRY TOPPING: 12 oz (340 g) raspberries, fresh or frozen ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 tsp cornstarch 1 tbsp cold water 1 cup (125 g) fresh raspberries, to finish
EQUIPMENT: 9-inch springform pan Parchment paper Heavy-duty aluminum foil Roasting pan Heatproof bowl stand mixer or hand mixer Small saucepan Thin knife
Method
STEP 1: MAKE THE BASE
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment. Whisk the flour, almond flour, sugar and salt, then rub in the butter and almond extract until the mixture clumps when pressed. Press it firmly and evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until pale gold. Cool, then reduce the oven to 325°F.
STEP 2: WRAP THE PAN
Once the pan is cool enough to handle, wrap the outside in two layers of heavy-duty foil so no water can seep in. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
STEP 3: MELT THE WHITE CHOCOLATE
Melt the white chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring often. Keep every drop of water out of the bowl. Let it cool until just warm.
STEP 4: MAKE THE FILLING
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour on low speed until completely smooth, scraping the bowl often. Beat in the eggs and the egg yolk one at a time, mixing only until each disappears. Mix in the sour cream, heavy cream and vanilla extract, then the cooled white chocolate. Keep the speed low throughout so little air goes in.
STEP 5: BAKE IN A WATER BATH
Pour the filling over the base and smooth the top. Set the pan in the roasting pan, place it on the oven rack and pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the foil. Bake at 325°F for 75 to 85 minutes, until the edge is set and the center still wobbles slightly. The full pan and slow, gentle bake give a tall, even center.
STEP 6: COOL SLOWLY AND CHILL
Turn off the oven, prop the door open and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Lift it out of the water bath, remove the foil, run a thin knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, so it sets fully and slices cleanly.
STEP 7: MAKE THE RASPBERRY TOPPING
In a small saucepan, cook the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until the fruit breaks down. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water, stir it in and boil for 1 minute, until glossy and thick. Cool completely. Keep the sugar low: the tartness is the point.
STEP 8: FINISH AND SERVE
Release the cheesecake from the pan. Spread the cooled topping over the top right to the edge, then scatter the fresh raspberries over it. Slice with a hot, dry knife. The cheesecake keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator; add the topping on the day of serving.
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Instructions
FOR THE ALMOND SHORTBREAD BASE:
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (50 g) almond flour (/interesting-ingredients/almond-flour)(finely ground almonds)
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Pinch salt
½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, diced
¼ tsp almond extract
FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE FILLING:
6 oz (170 g) good-quality white chocolate,(/interesting-ingredients/white-chocolate-with-high-cocoa) chopped
2 lb (900 g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
⅔ cup (160 g) full-fat sour cream
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract(/interesting-ingredients/vanilla-extract)
FOR THE RASPBERRY TOPPING:
12 oz (340 g) raspberries, fresh or frozen
⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
1 cup (125 g) fresh raspberries, to finish
EQUIPMENT:
9-inch springform pan
(/cooking-equipment/9%22-loose-bottomed-cake-pan)Parchment paper
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Roasting pan
Heatproof bowl
stand mixer (/cooking-equipment/ankarsrum-stand-mixer)or hand mixer
Small saucepan
Thin knife
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MAKE THE BASE
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment. Whisk the flour, almond flour, sugar and salt, then rub in the butter and almond extract until the mixture clumps when pressed. Press it firmly and evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until pale gold. Cool, then reduce the oven to 325°F.
STEP 2: WRAP THE PAN
Once the pan is cool enough to handle, wrap the outside in two layers of heavy-duty foil so no water can seep in. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
STEP 3: MELT THE WHITE CHOCOLATE
Melt the white chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring often. Keep every drop of water out of the bowl. Let it cool until just warm.
STEP 4: MAKE THE FILLING
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour on low speed until completely smooth, scraping the bowl often. Beat in the eggs and the egg yolk one at a time, mixing only until each disappears. Mix in the sour cream, heavy cream and vanilla extract, then the cooled white chocolate. Keep the speed low throughout so little air goes in.
STEP 5: BAKE IN A WATER BATH
Pour the filling over the base and smooth the top. Set the pan in the roasting pan, place it on the oven rack and pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the foil. Bake at 325°F for 75 to 85 minutes, until the edge is set and the center still wobbles slightly. The full pan and slow, gentle bake give a tall, even center.
STEP 6: COOL SLOWLY AND CHILL
Turn off the oven, prop the door open and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Lift it out of the water bath, remove the foil, run a thin knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, so it sets fully and slices cleanly.
STEP 7: MAKE THE RASPBERRY TOPPING
In a small saucepan, cook the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until the fruit breaks down. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water, stir it in and boil for 1 minute, until glossy and thick. Cool completely. Keep the sugar low: the tartness is the point.
STEP 8: FINISH AND SERVE
Release the cheesecake from the pan. Spread the cooled topping over the top right to the edge, then scatter the fresh raspberries over it. Slice with a hot, dry knife. The cheesecake keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator; add the topping on the day of serving.
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