The classic cheesecake meets a scrumptious Eton mess to create the most drool-worthy dessert. Sweet, berry kissed meringues, a classic baked cheesecake with a gingerbread base and mounds of whipped cream – what more could you ask for?
Ingredients
- Cheesecake
- 250 grams ginger nut biscuits
- 150 grams butter, melted
- 920 grams medium-fat cream cheese
- 350 ml white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 50 ml flour
- 180 ml sour cream
- 10 ml vanilla essence
- ½ tsp salt
- 180 grams fresh raspberries
- Berry-swirled meringues
- 3 egg whites
- 180 grams caster sugar
- 10 grams freeze-dried strawberries, crushed to a powder
- Raspberry, lemon and elderflower jam
- 200 grams frozen raspberries
- 100 grams white sugar
- ½ lemon, zested
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp elderflower cordial
- To assemble
- 500 ml whipping cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 100 grams strawberries
- 100 grams raspberries
- ¼ cup pomegranate rubies
- Pink and white edible flowers
- 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberries
Instructions
Cheesecake
PREHEAT the oven to 160°C. Grease a 23 cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with greased baking paper.
BLITZ ginger biscuits to a fine crumb in a food processor. Place in a bowl with the melted butter and mix with a spoon until the crumb resembles an almost paste-like consistency.
PRESS crumb mixture into the base of the cake tin, using the bottom of a glass to compact and smooth it out. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
IN the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix for 2 minutes until fluffy.
MIX in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Mix in the flour.
ADD the sour cream, vanilla and salt and mix until combined.
POUR the batter into the tin. Evenly distribute the berries in the cheesecake mixture, using a spoon to submerge them, and dot some along the surface of the cheesecake.
BAKE for 1 hour 20 minutes; the cheesecake will still be slightly wobbly in the middle. Turn off the oven, leave the oven door slightly ajar and allow the cheesecake to cool for 1½ hours.
LEAVE the cheesecake in the tin, cover and chill in the fridge overnight.
Berry-swirled meringues
PREHEAT the oven to 100°C.
WHIP the egg whites in a glass bowl using an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually sprinkle in the caster sugar and continue beating until the sugar has mostly dissolved.
SECURE sheets of baking paper to two oven trays using small dollops of meringue in the corners.
FOLD enough freeze-dried berry powder into a third of the meringue mixture to achieve a light pink colour. Spoon into rough lines along the inside of a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip. Fill the piping bag with plain meringue and pipe meringue kisses onto the prepared trays.
BAKE meringues for 2 hours or until crisp and completely dried out.
Raspberry, lemon and elderflower jam
COMBINE all ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the jam is glossy and thickened.
STRAIN out seeds by pressing the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
DECANT jam into a jar and allow to cool.
To assemble
CAREFULLY unclip the springform tin and peel away the baking paper from the sides of the cheesecake. Gently remove the baking paper from the base of the cheesecake as you transfer it to a cake stand.
WHIP the cream with the icing sugar to firm peaks.
SWIRL some raspberry jam through the cream and dollop on top of the cheesecake. Decorate with crushed and whole meringues, berries, pomegranate, edible flowers and a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberries. Serve immediately.
Notes
Cheesecake is best made the day before and refrigerated overnight to create the smoothest, creamiest consistency.
ALSO SEE: No-bake blueberry cheesecake
