Beulah’s cheesecake

This is a great, classic baked cheesecake. Not some fluffy, whipped cream concoction where you can barely detect the cheese – this one is dense and silky smooth, and flavoured only with lemon zest so the cream cheese flavour comes through.

The gingersnap crust contrasts beautifully with the filling. When I make it next, I’m going to double the amount and bake it a little longer (until firm).

Beulah always served her cheesecake garnished with frosted grapes, so I’ve included the recipe for those here as well.

Beulah’s cheesecake

For the crust:

• 10 gingersnaps
• 30g butter, melted
• 1 Tb caster sugar
• pinch of cinnamon

For the filling

• 450g cream cheese
• 142ml single cream
• 1 Tb cornflour
• 4 Tb caster sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 200ml full fat sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. To make the crust, crush the gingersnaps. Add the butter, sugar and cinnamon.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 8″ (20cm) springform cake pan. Bake for 5 minutes and leave to cool.
4. To make the filling, rub the cream cheese through a sieve into a mixing bowl. Add the cream, cornflour, sugar, lemon zest and mix well. Stir in the eggs.
5. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the crust. Bake for 35 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven. Spread the sour cream on top and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before serving.

Frosted grapes

• Rinse a bunch of seedless grapes and pat dry. Snip into small sprigs of a few grapes or pluck from the stems.
• Beat an egg white until frothy but not stiff.
• Dip the grapes into the egg white, lightly shaking to remove any excess.
• Roll the grapes in a shallow bowl of caster sugar until well coated.
• Leave to dry on a wire rack for 1 to 2 hours until the crust hardens.

Note: Don’t store frosted grapes in the fridge, as the sugar coating will soften.

Tags: British food, vegetarian