Decidedly Lazy Lime Cheesecake.
In keeping with my general demeanour at the moment, I whipped up a version of a cheesecake I've been making for some time. This is a cheesecake I make when I want all the fun of making (and eating) a cheesecake, without any of the stress of the "will it work? Will the water bath leak in? Will the base survive? Will the filling set". This cheesecake is really bloody easy, and it's like that on purpose. It's also delicious - don't let anyone tell you you have to labour away for hours or have any kind of specialist skills to have a great sweet treat - all you need is this.
I've flavoured this one with lime, but it's pretty flexible. You can skip the lime and go with just vanilla, really wonderful topped with fruit or jelly. Honestly the options are endless, so I won't go into them all, but treat this like a great home base and spread your wings in any direction you may well please.
Ingredients:
For the base:
300g (1 pack) of Hobnob biscuits (gingernuts, granitas, anzacs all go well here but hobnobs are my fav)
100g unsalted butter, melted
Good pinch of salt
For the filling:
250g cream cheese
250ml thickened cream
250ml sour cream
1 cup pure icing sugar
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla paste or extract
Zest and juice from 1 lime
Good pinch of salt
Method.
Step 1.
Line the bottom of a 20cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.
Step 2.
Blitz or smash hobnobs into a mealy texture. Think almond meal with a few slightly bigger bits.
Step 3.
Combine smashed hobnobs with salt and melted butter, combine well.
Step 4.
Press into the base and up the edges of your lined cake tin. Place into the fridge.
Step 5.
Now for the filling. Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, whip cream to firm peaks and set aside.
Step 6.
Wipe bowl clean, or move onto a new bowl, and using the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth, add in sour cream and beat again until smooth.
Step 7.
Add in icing sugar, vanilla, lime zest and juice and whip for a few minutes. You want the mixture to be a light, whipped consistency.
Step 8.
Add the previously whipped cream and fold through until evenly combined. Remove shell from fridge and dollop this mixture into it and then smooth out the top.
Step 9.
Return to the fridge for at least 4-6 hours or preferably overnight. Enjoy.