Blackcurrant Cheesecake

This baked blackcurrant cheesecake recipe features smooth and creamy vanilla cheesecake filling rippled with tangy blackcurrant compote. This marbled cheesecake is pretty to look at and extremely tasty.

Why you’ll love this baked blackcurrant cheesecake

• Appearance – the blackcurrant compote is used to make this a marbled cheesecake so it’s very easy on the eye.
• Taste – bold and tangy blackcurrant compote is the ideal contrast to the sweet and creamy vanilla cheesecake filling.
• Texture – this is a water bath baked cheesecake so it is soft as velvet with a deliciously creamy mouthfeel. Bliss.
• Easy – as long as you follow my instructions for baking cheesecake in a water bath this is a straightforward recipe to make.

Ingredients notes

Let’s take a look at the key ingredients in this blackcurrant cheesecake recipe in more detail:

Blackcurrants: you can use either fresh or frozen blackcurrants. There’s no need to defrost frozen blackcurrants.

Cream cheese: use full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese. It’s by far the best option when making any cheesecake. I do not particularly recommend using own-brand labels and I solemnly warn you against using low-fat cream cheese. You’ll have an expensive waste of ingredients on your hands if you do so.

Eggs and egg yolks: my recipe for baked blackcurrant cheesecake contains 2 whole eggs and 2 additional egg yolks. Whole eggs act as a thickening agent and egg yolks help to create a wonderfully smooth texture. They are all vital to the success of this recipe.

Flour: a little plain flour is incorporated into the cheesecake batter. This helps bind the ingredients together and reduces the risk of the baked blackcurrant cheesecake cracking.

Step by step instructions

Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

This is an easy recipe for baked blackcurrant cheesecake that can be broken down into 4 separate stages:

1. Prepare the biscuit base.
2. Making the blackcurrant compote.
3. Mixing the cheesecake batter.
4. Assembling and baking the cheesecake.

The details for each stage are given below and I’ve also included a dedicated section on how to bake a cheesecake in a water bath.

Prepare the biscuit base

Before starting this recipe for baked blackcurrant cheesecake, prepare the baking tin for the water bath (details are given in the next section).

1. Crush the biscuits until they look like breadcrumbs (either in a food processor or using a rolling pin) and melt the butter.
2. Stir the butter into the biscuit crumbs and press the mixture into the base of the prepared baking tin.
3. Bake for 15 minutes then set aside.

Make the blackcurrant compote

4. Put the blackcurrants into a medium-sized pan with the sugar, lemon juice and cornflour.
5. Place over moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The sugar will melt and the fruit will give off liquid. Eventually, everything will thicken and the sauce will look dark (3-5 minutes depending on whether fresh or frozen fruit is being used).
6. Take off the heat and set aside.

Make the cheesecake batter

7. Put the cream cheese into a bowl with the sugar and flour (sieved) and use a handheld balloon whisk to mix everything up until combined and smooth.
8. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and vanilla bean paste and beat until combined.

Assemble & bake the cheesecake

9. Pour just under half of the cheesecake batter over the biscuit base and spoon half of the blackcurrant compote over the top.
10. Spoon the rest of the batter over the top and place the rest of the compote onto this.
11. Use a small skewer or cocktail stick to drag the compote around, creating a marbled effect.
12. Cook the cheesecake in a water bath (see full details in the next section) for 25 minutes. Check to see if it is cooked and if not cook for a further 5 minutes before testing again.
13. Once it is cooked do not take the cheesecake out of the oven immediately. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the cheesecake cool in it for 1 hour. Next, remove the tin from the water bath, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the tin (but do not remove the tin). Return it to the oven to cool fully then cover and chill in the fridge for 6 hours. Unmold from the tin before serving.

How to bake a cheesecake in a water bath

Baking cheesecake in a water bath is the best way to produce a soft and creamy cheesecake that is perfectly cooked throughout. It also reduces the chance of the cheesecake cracking. However, there are some important rules to follow:

• Grease the base and sides of a spring-form baking tin, but line only the base with baking parchment. Do not line the sides.
• Use extra-wide foil (45cm wide) to wrap around the baking tin and use a double layer. Do not use standard-width foil as it is not wide enough and can lead to water getting into contact with the tin, causing a soggy bottom.
• Stand the baking tin in a deep-sided ovenproof pot or tin to allow enough water to be poured around it.
• When ready to bake the cheesecake pour freshly boiled water into the pot/ tin and ensure it comes around halfway up the baking tin containing the cheesecake.
• Bake until the centre of the cheesecake is wobbly in the centre but not firm. (Tap the side of the baking tin and if the middle 2-3inches of the cheesecake looks wobbly, rather than runny, then the cheesecake is done.) It will firm up as it cools.
• Prop the oven door slightly ajar and leave the cheesecake to cool for 1 hour.
• Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and run a sharp knife around the end of the tin to loosen the cheesecake from it but do not remove the cheesecake from the baking tin. Instead, return it to the oven to finish cooling down.
• When it is completely cold cover the baking tin tightly with food wrap and transfer it to the fridge for at least 6 hours.
• Remove from the baking tin before serving.

Expert tips

• Use the right baking tin. This blackcurrant cheesecake recipe has been designed specifically for an 8-inch (20cm) circular springform cake tin with a depth of around 7cm.
• It is vital to wrap the baking tin in foil otherwise water will seep into the baking tin and turn the cheesecake base soggy.
• Use extra-wide foil (45cm rather than 30cm) to wrap around the baking tin. Standard 30cm wide foil is not sufficient as it’s highly likely that water will seep through to the baking tin and turn the base of the cheesecake soggy (this has happened to me).
• Do not overbeat the cheesecake. If too much air is incorporated into the batter this can increase the chance of the cheesecake cracking.
• Cook the cheesecake in a water bath for the best texture.
• Do not overbake your cheesecake as it will be more prone to cracking and will be drier in texture.
• Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before transferring it to the fridge for at least 6 hours to ensure it has fully set before serving it.

Variations

• Top with the blackcurrant compote: if you’re really worried about the cheesecake potentially cracking just leave the compote out, bake the vanilla cheesecake and then top it with the compote. Any cracks will be hidden beneath the dark blackcurrant topping.
• Ginger and blackcurrant cheesecake: use gingernut biscuits in place of the digestives.
• No bake white chocolate and blackcurrant cheesecake: make the no bake cheesecake filling from my Raffaello cheesecake recipe and top it with the blackcurrant compote.

More blackcurrant recipes

Have you made this recipe for baked blackcurrant cheesecake? If so, I’d really appreciate your comments and/ or rating to let me know how you got along with it.