Recipe: Blueberry cheesecake

By Annie Bell

PUBLISHED: 18:01 EST, 6 April 2013 | UPDATED: 18:02 EST, 6 April 2013

Serves 6

BASE

• 150g · 5oz digestives broken up
• 60g · 2½ oz unsalted butter

FILLING

• 4 gelatine leaves (for example
• Dr Oetker) cut into broad strips
• 400g · 14oz low-fat cream cheese
• 200g · 7oz golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 400g · 14oz sour cream

ON TOP

• 200g · 7oz blueberry jam
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 300g · 11oz blueberries

1. Have ready a 20cm · 8in loose-bottom cake tin (or 18cm · 7in square tin) about 5cm · 2in deep. Whiz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or crush inside a strong plastic bag using a rolling pin). Gently melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, tip in the crumbs and stir to coat them. Press the biscuit mixture evenly into the base of the tin and pop the tin into the fridge while you prepare the filling.
2. Place the gelatine in a medium bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 5 minutes, then drain. Pour over a couple of tablespoons of boiling water and stir to dissolve.
3. Place the cream cheese in a small pan with the sugar and gently heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture liquefies and the sugar has dissolved (give it a quick whisk to get rid of any lumps). The mixture should be warm, about the same as the gelatine solution. Beat the gelatine into the cream cheese mixture, followed by the vanilla extract, then transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool until just lukewarm. 
4. Add the sour cream to the cooled cream-cheese mixture and whisk together.
5. Pour the mixture carefully over the crust, using the back of a spoon as a chute to avoid disturbing the crumbs, and smooth the surface. Cover with clingfilm and chill overnight until set.
6. Meanwhile, gently heat the jam in a small pan until it liquefies, pass it through a sieve into a bowl, stir in the lemon juice, and leave to cool completely. Set aside or chill until ready to use.
7. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving to let the crust soften just a little. Stir the blueberries into the jam. Run a knife around the collar of the cake and remove from the tin. Serve with the blueberry mixture to spoon over separately (or, for the presentation pictured below, spoon over the blueberries just before slicing).