A good lemon cheesecake never goes out of style. Simple and elegant, the origins of cheesecake go back as far as between 800 and 700 BC, with evidence it was made on an island in the eastern Aegean Sea, Samos.
While early cheesecakes were a lot simpler than today’s versions, cheesecakes have a fruitful history; they were often used as wedding cakes, with brides baking a cheesecake and serving it to her new husband’s friends. The dish was believed to be such a good nutritional snack, it was given to participants of the first Olympic Games in 776 BC. The first lemon cheesecake appeared in the 1727 cookbook The Compleat Housewife by Eliza Smith – the first time a bottom crust was added.
This take on the citrus classic is bursting with creamy Anchor goodness, with the richness of cream cheese and sour cream the perfect counterpoint to the lemon sour and Cherry Berry drizzle.
INGREDIENTS
250gms sweet vanilla biscuits or similar
125gms butter, melted
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
¼ cup cold water
500gms Anchor Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
250gms Anchor Sour Cream, plus extra for topping
1 cup lemon curd
2 tablespoons lemon zest
Cherry Berry Sauce Drizzle*
METHOD
Whizz biscuits into fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and ground cinnamon and mix well. Press the biscuit crumble over the base and up the sides of a 22cm springform tin and chill for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the gelatine over the water and allow to swell, then heat gently until clear and dissolved. Beat the cream cheese for 2-3 minutes until smooth then add the caster sugar and beat a further 3-4 minutes until creamy. Add the sour cream, lemon curd and lemon zest and fold all together. Stir in the liquid gelatine and mix until fully combined. Pour cream cheese mix into the chilled biscuit base, smooth the top and chill for at least 3 hours.
For the Cherry Berry Sauce Drizzle:
Combine ½ cup pitted cherries and ½ cup fresh or frozen berries in a small saucepan with ¼ cup caster sugar and half cup water. Bring to a simmer then thicken with 2 teaspoons cornflour or arrowroot mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
When ready to serve, remove cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a stand or plate. Top with a swirl of Anchor Sour Cream, garnish with fresh cherries and berries and drizzle with Cherry Berry Sauce Drizzle just before serving.
TIP
If cherries and berries are out of season, replace fresh ingredients with Smart Choice Mixed Berries.
