Creamy New York Cheesecake

Crush your biscuits into crumbs, however you like. You can use a food processor or simply a sandwich bag and a rolling pin. Combine this with 1 tbsp sugar.

Melt 90g butter in the microwave and pour into biscuit crumbs and mix.

Butter your 20cm cake pan and press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan firmly. Bake at 180 C or 160 fan C for 10 minutes. It should be a light brown colour but don't be alarmed if there's no significant change in the crust. Take out and let cool. Once cooled wrap 3 layers of tin foil around the base to ensure no water gets in when baking the cheesecake next.

Meanwhile using an electric handheld mixer or standard mixer with paddle attachment mix the ROOM TEMPERATURE cream cheese, sugar, flour, salt on medium speed into creamy thick frosting consistency. (You don't want to over-beat the mixture as it will incorporate too much air and won't bake evenly)

To this mixture add the soured cream, vanilla extract and lemon zest and beat again on medium speed. (The lemon zest is optional but gives a nice very subtle lemon flavour, however not strong enough as to be described as lemon cheesecake.)

Finally add the ROOM TEMPERATURE eggs and yolk one at a time and beat on medium speed until quite a runny, silky consistency and pour over the cooled biscuit base into even layer. Meanwhile boil the kettle.

Place your cake pan into either a larger cake pan, saucepan or baking dish and place into the oven (so that you don't have to move a large pan of water around the kitchen). Then pour the hot water into the outer pan so that it reaches about halfway of your cheesecake (not above the tin foil) to form the bain-marie.

Bake for 70-75 mins at 160 fan celsius once more until the top is slightly gold and set at the sides but the middle is still slightly wobbly. During the baking don't be tempted to open the oven until it is ready as this may cause cracks. Turn the oven off and leave inside to cool, propping the oven door open for about an hr. (Sudden changes in temperature may cause the cheesecake to crack). Then remove and let it cool to room temperature on the counter and then relocate it into the fridge so that it can cool and set, preferably over night.

The next day take out of the fridge remove from the cake pan and serve in anyway you like. Personally I love to pour some cherry compote on top ;) (To cut the cold cheesecake more easily, I suggest dipping the knife in hot water and drying it in order to create smooth cuts.) Voila!