Blackcurrant Cheesecake

5 from 2 votes

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

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 355kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

Equipment

1 8-inch (20cm) spring form circular cake tin with a depth of at least 2½-inches (7cm)

Ingredients

Biscuit Base

200 g Digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
100 g Butter

Blackcurrant Compote

150 g Blackcurrants fresh or frozen
75 g Caster sugar
2½ teaspoons Cornflour
1½ teaspoons Lemon juice

Cheesecake Filling

400 g Full fat Philadelphia cream cheese do not use low-fat
120 g Caster sugar
30 g Plain flour or cornflour
2 Eggs large, free-range
2 Egg yolks large, free-range
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
1 tablespoon Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the baking tin

Preheat the oven to 170C/ 325F/ GM3.
Grease the base and sides of the baking tin with cake release spray.
Line the base (but not the sides of the tin) with baking parchment.
Wrap the outside of the tin in a sheet of extra-wide (45cm) kitchen foil. Neatly fold the edge of the foil over so that it does not exceed the top of the pan. Repeat with a second layer of foil.

Make the biscuit base

Crush the biscuits until they look like breadcrumbs. Do this either in a food processor or put the biscuits into a foodbag and crush them using a rolling pin.
Melt the butter either on the hob or in the microwave and stir it into the biscuit crumbs.
Tip the biscuit crumbs into the base of the prepared baking tin, level and press down lightly using the back of a spoon. Bake it for 15 minutes then set it aside.

Prepare the blackcurrant compote

Put the blackcurrants into a medium-sized pan with the sugar, lemon juice and cornflour.
Place the pan 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 (this will take 3-5 minutes depending on whether fresh or frozen fruit is being used).
Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
Now fill a kettle with water and set it to boil.

Make the cheesecake filling

Put the cream cheese into a bowl with the sugar. Sieve the flour into the bowl and use a handheld balloon whisk to mix everything up until combined and smooth.
Add in the eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and vanilla bean paste and beat until just combined (do not overmix).

Assemble the cheesecake

Pour just under half of the cheesecake batter over the biscuit base and use a teaspoon to dot half of the blackcurrant compote over the top.
Spoon the rest of the batter over the top and dot the rest of the compote onto this.
Use a small skewer or cocktail stick to drag the compote around, creating a marbled effect.

Baking and cooling the cheesecake

Stand the baking tin in an ovenproof pot or tin deep enough to allow water to come up to the halfway mark on the baking tin when poured into the pot/tin.
Transfer to a low shelf in the oven and pour enough of the freshly boiled water into the ovenproof pot/ tin to come halfway up the baking tin containing the cheesecake.
Bake for 25 minutes then tap the side of the baking tin to check if it cooked. The middle 2-3 inches should be wobbly (not runny and not firm). If it is, then the cheesecake is sufficiently cooked. It will firm up as it cools.
If the centre still looks too loose cook for a further 5 minutes and test again.
Once cooked, turn the oven off but do not remove the cheesecake. 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 (not in the water bath).
When it is completely cold remove the tin foil, cover the baking tin tightly with food wrap and transfer it to the fridge for at least 6 hours.
Remove the cheesecake from the baking tin before serving.

Video

Notes

Use the right tin: This blackcurrant cheesecake recipe is designed for a deep 8-inch (20cm) springform tin, approx. 7cm deep.
Wrap it well: Always wrap the tin in extra-wide (45cm) foil – standard foil isn’t wide enough and may let water seep in, resulting in a soggy base.
Use a water bath: It helps achieve the smoothest, creamiest texture and reduces the risk of cracking.
Don’t overmix: Beating the batter too much adds air, which can cause cracks as the cheesecake bakes.
Watch the bake time: Stop baking when the centre wobbles slightly – overbaking can dry it out and lead to cracking.
Cool fully: Let the cheesecake cool completely before chilling it in the fridge for at least 6 hours to set properly.

What to do if your cheesecake crack

The best way to avoid a cracked cheesecake is to use a water bath and not overbake it. However, sometimes, despite your best efforts, a cheesecake will crack. If this happens when you bake this cheesecake you have several options:

Make a little more blackcurrant compote and use it to fill the cracks.
Pipe whipped cream on the top and drizzle with a little extra blackcurrant compote.
Simply embrace the rustic look and serve it just as it is with no apology - it will still taste phenomenal.

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