BAKED CHEESECAKE WITH SPREADABLE FRESH FRENCH GOAT’S CHEESE AND ORANGE

By Sophie Wright, chef and Easy Cheesey Chèvre Ambassador

In these days of economic gloom we are always looking at ways of making our budgets stretch. But that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice taste. Here at Easy Cheesey Chèvre Towers, I’ve put together a set of delicious recipes using French goat’s cheeses which are not only easy to make, but won’t break the bank.

This is a great alternative to a traditional baked cheesecake, especially if you or your children can’t eat cow’s milk. The soft texture of the spreadable fresh French goat’s cheese gives the cake a lovely citrusy, savoury twist; a perfect dinner party dessert or birthday cake alternative!

Spreadable fresh French goat’s cheese is available in many forms; it is fresh, smooth, white and melts-in-the-mouth and has a light, mild taste that is unlike any other cheese. It is available from all good supermarkets and delicatessens.

Serves 12

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Cooling time over night

Oven temp: 120oc-160oc

Approximate cost per portion £1.72

INGREDIENTS:

For the base

85g butter, melted plus a little extra for greasing the cake tin

150g digestive biscuits

1 tbsp caster sugar

For the filling

900g spreadable fresh French goat’s cheese

275g caster sugar

3 tbsp plain flour

3 eggs

1 yolk

2 tsp vanilla bean paste or seeds of 1 pod

2 oranges zests

1 lemon juice

200mls sour cream

For the topping

200mls sour cream

1 lemon juice

2 tbsp caster or icing sugar

Method

1. Prepare a 23cm spring-form cake tin by greasing the base with butter and lining with baking parchment.
2. Melt the butter on the stove in a small saucepan. Place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and blitz until they resemble fine bread crumbs. Add the sugar and pour in the melted butter. Blitz again to combine well.
3. Press the biscuit mix into the bottom of the cake tin and push well into the edges. Place the cake tin onto a baking tray and put into the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove and leave to cool.
4. To make the filling. First beat the spreadable fresh French goat’s cheese either by hand or use the paddle attachment of a work top mixer. Do this for about 2-3 minutes until the cheese is light and fluffy. Next, change to a whisk and add the sugar, flour, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk. Whisk until all smooth and combined before adding the orange zest, lemon juice and sour cream.
5. Brush the edges of the cake tin with a little more melted butter before pouring the mixture into the cake tin. Bake at 160oc for 10 minutes before turning the oven down to 120oc and cooking for a further 40 minutes. The cake is cooked once it is set with a little wobble when you give the tin a shake.
6. Leave the cake to cool in the oven with the door slightly open for 2 hours.
7. For the topping, combine the sour cream with the lemon juice and sugar. Once the cake is cooled, pour the sour cream over the top of the cake right to the edges. Cover with cling film and allow setting in the fridge overnight.
8. Serve cut into thick slices with a few fresh berries.

For further information or recipes please visit: www.frenchgoatscheese.com or contact Eleanor Holland:

E-mail: eleanor.holland@sopexa.com

Telephone: 0207 312 3619