Blueberry Cheesecake With A Hint Of Lime Food

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE WITH A HINT OF LIME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Combine cookie crumbs, butter and sugar and mix well.
• Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 9" springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch together until light and creamy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition, just until mixed. Do not overbeat. Do not beat on high speed.
• Mix in lime zest and vanilla extract.
• Fold in blueberries. Mixture will be thick.
• Spoon or pour filling into crust.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 200°F.
• Continue to bake for 2 hours, or until filling is firm but still slightly jiggly in center.
• Remove from oven and turn oven off.
• Carefully run a knife around the inside edge of the pan.
• Return to oven and let cool for 2 hours.
• This is best if refrigerated overnight at this point to let the flavors blend.
• Combine preserves, cornstarch and lime juice in a small saucepan.
• Cook over low heat until bubbly and thickened, 7-10 minutes.
• Let cool slightly and spread over top of cheesecake.
• Chill at least one hour before serving.

BLUEBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a 20 x 30cm rectangular tin with baking parchment. Put the biscuits in a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Add the butter and blitz again to combine. Tip into the tin, press down firmly with the back of a spoon to cover the base, then bake for 10 mins. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, tip 25g of the sugar and the blueberries into a small pan. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp cold water and add this to the pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bubble for 1-2 mins until saucy. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese with an electric hand-held whisk until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again. Add the flour, vanilla, eggs and soured cream, and whisk until smooth and well combined.
• Pour half the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base, then spoon half the blueberry sauce on top in small blobs. Cover with the remaining cheesecake mix and smooth the surface with a spatula. Drizzle the remaining blueberry sauce over the top, then use the end of the spoon to ripple it into the cheesecake. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the heat to 110C/90C fan/gas ¼ and bake for a further 30 mins. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hr, then leave for 1 hr more with the door ajar. Finally, leave at room temperature until completely cool, then chill for at least 3 hrs or, even better, overnight. Slice into 14 bars. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

ICED BLUEBERRY & LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Line the base and sides of a 20-22cm square cake tin with cling film. Finely grate the zest from the limes and set aside. Squeeze the juice and pour into a pan with the sugar and blueberries. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then simmer for 1-2 mins until the blueberries are slightly softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl. Boil the juice for 1-2 mins until it is slightly syrupy, then pour over the blueberries and leave to cool.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the icing sugar until the meringue is stiff and marshmallow-like in texture. Beat the mascarpone in a large bowl with the lime zest and vanilla. Whip the cream until it just holds its shape, then fold into the mascarpone. Fold in the meringue using the whisk blades.
• Break up the amaretti biscuits between your fingers into a bowl to make crumbs. Melt the butter and add to the biscuit crumbs, mixing well.
• Spoon the blueberries and their juices into the base of the prepared tin. Spoon the cheesecake mixture evenly over the top, then smooth with the back of a metal spoon to level the mixture. Spoon the amaretti crumbs evenly over the top, pressing down lightly with your hands. Freeze the cheesecake for at least 4 hrs - or overnight is better. Can be frozen for up to two weeks before serving.
• To serve, transfer the cheesecake to the fridge for 30 mins. Turn out onto a flat serving plate and peel off the cling film. Serve cut into generous slices.