Cooking Tips

• As always, my top tip is to invest in a set of digital kitchen scales. That way you can weigh ingredients out extremely accurately and get much better results. Think about it -what one person scoops into a "cup" is completely different from what someone else scoops. Go with grams, they are much more accurate
• The easiest way to turn the biscuits into crumbs is in a food processor although you could alternatively pop them into a bag and crush with a rolling pin
• Use real butter for a fuller flavoured biscuit base
• Press the biscuits down firmly to create a well packed and firm base on which to spread the cheesecake
• I recommend using only full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese in this recipe as it is reliably full-flavoured and it has a thick consistency. Sometimes own brand and reduced-fat versions can be much softer and due to this, I cannot guarantee they would make suitable substitutes. Using them may mean that the cheesecake does not set sufficiently
• I do not recommend using frozen raspberries for this recipe. Frozen berries tend to emit a lot of liquid once they defrost which would interfere with the texture of the cheesecake and the cookie base
• If fresh raspberries are not available it would be better to make a coulis out of the frozen berries and drizzle this inside of the cheesecake instead. It will be slightly sweeter than it would otherwise be, but still utterly delicious
• Once the cream has been added take care not to over or under beat the batter. If it is too runny then the cheesecake will not fully set, but if it is too stiff the cheesecake will be less pleasant to eat. Keep on mixing until everything holds its shape well and needs encouragement to fall off of a spoon by shaking or tapping it against the side of the bowl
• Use a suitably large deep-sided springform cake tin - the quantities stated in the recipe card will fill a 20cm (8-inch) diameter tin to a depth of 7cm (2 ¾-inch)
• There is no need to line or grease the tin, the cheesecake will be easy to remove but if you do decide to line it do not grease with butter as it will harden in the fridge making the cheesecake difficult to remove from the pan. Instead, opt for cake release spray
• If the base has a lip around the edge, flip it over and secure in place before using. A flat base makes unmoulding the cheesecake easier
• Layer up this dessert carefully. Spread each layer of cheesecake filling out carefully to the edges to ensure no gaps are left and allow plenty of cheesecake filling for the final layer to ensure all raspberries and Biscoff spread are covered up
• Give this no-bake speculoos cheesecake at least 6 hours to set fully
• To release the cheesecake run a sharp knife between the cheesecake and the edge of the tin before popping the springform mechanism open. Next use a knife to release the biscuit base from the tin - once inserted, run the knife around until you feel the entire cheesecake loosen
• The finishing touches are best added to the cheesecake close to the time of serving to ensure the biscuit crumbs stay crunchy

Storage Instructions