White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake

One of my foodie dreams (of which there are many) is to one day visit a raspberry farm and pick and eat my own berries. Oooh how I long to pluck those beautiful, swollen, ripe jewels straight from the cane. Little capsules of flavour, just waiting to explode in my mouth. One day, my pretties. One day...

Although fresh raspberries are available in shops here, they are rather expensive. Lucky for me it's possible to buy quality frozen raspberries that are a fraction of the price, and are great for creating delicious sweets at home. This lovely cheesecake is one of my favourite ways to use raspberries. White chocolate and raspberry - a marriage made in heaven. This recipe is an oldie, but a goodie :)

White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake

Adapted recipe from Good Taste magazine - July 2005

Ingredients

melted butter, to grease

250g plain sweet biscuits (I used Digestive biscuits)

100g hazelnut meal

150g unsalted butter

3 x 250g packets cream cheese, at room temperature

140g (2/3c) caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

3 eggs

180g good quality white chocolate (I used Plaidstow), finely chopped but with some bigger chunks too - they really are a joy to come across whilst eating this cake

150g frozen raspberries

icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Brush a 20cm (base measurement) round springform pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Cut out a round piece of baking paper and line the bottom of the pan. Lightly brush the paper with a little melted butter.

2. Place the biscuits in a food processor and  blitz until finely crushed. Add the hazelnut meal and melted butter and process until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and use a straight-sided glass to spread and press mixture firmly over base and side of pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

3. Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a large spoon, fold in the chocolate and then the raspberries.

4. Pour mixture into the biscuit base and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour, or until just set in the centre. Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for 2 hours, or until cooled completely. This will prevent the cake from cracking. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge for a few hours to chill. Before serving, dust with icing sugar.

Nice and simple, huh?! You're sure to win compliments when you make this for your family and friends.. You'll be blushing like a little raspberry in the sunshine :)

Ladybird x