Baked Lemon and Raisin Cheesecake
I made this with a shortbread base but for an easier version use a basic biscuit base. Use a 8 - 9 inch spring bottomed cake tin. If your using a non stick one it is best to line with greaseproof paper as sometimes the reaction from the lemon with the bare tin can cause a coloration on the side of the cheesecake - although edible not very appealing. This can be made the day before and refrigerated when cooled.
Preparation time: 20 - 30 minutes Quantity: Serves 10 Cooking time: 45 - 50 minutes
Ingredients
Biscuit Base I -
90 g / 3 oz butter
220 g / 8 oz digestive biscuits
or
Shortbread Base II -
60 g / 2 oz butter - softened
30 g / 1 oz caster sugar
150 g / 5 oz plain flour - sieved
30 g / 1 oz rice flour
1 tablespoon milk
Filling -
300 g / 1 & 1/2 tubs cream cheese
200 ml double cream
2 heaped tablespoons fromage frais
2 whole eggs and
1 egg yolk
3 fresh lemons zested or outer skin grated
3 fresh lemons juiced
125 g / 4 oz raisins
Variation -
Use limes instead of lemons but add an extra one
Or Replace the raisins with soaked dried cherries in kirsch
Or spread 3 tablespoons lemon curd on top of the finished cooled cheesecake
Method
For base one -
- Melt the butter in a pan (gently, don’t let it brown)
- Meanwhile whizz or batter your biscuits to form crumbs
- Mix the two together and spoon in to a spring bottom tin, pressing down firmly in an even layer
For base Two -
- Rub the butter in to the flour’s and sugar to make a rough bread crumb mix
- Bring the mix together by adding the milk and making a soft dough
- Press the mix evenly in to a greased spring bottomed tin (no need to roll)
For the Filling -
- Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon to loosen
- Beat in the cream and fromage frais until smooth
- Whisk in the eggs yolk, lemon zest and juice
- Stir in the raisins and spoon in to the base
- Bake in a preheated oven gas 4 - 5 / 190 -200*c for - 40 - 45 minutes or until set but slightly wobbly in the middle
- Leave in the tin to cool