Black Cherry And Almond Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

6 digestive biscuits, crushed

1 1/2 oz butter melted

3 eggs, separated

4 oz caster sugar

1 lb cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

A few flaked almonds

15 oz can black cherries, preferably stoned

1 rounded teaspoon arrowroot

Cooking Directions

Heat the oven to 350°F, 180°C, gas no. 4. Lightly butter and flour a 7 inch (17.5 cm) round cake tin with a loose bottom. Blend the biscuits with the melted butter and press firmly over the base of the cake tin. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy and stir in the cream cheese and vanilla essence until well blended. Whisk the egg whites, using a hand rotary or electric whisk, until they are stiff, fold into the cheese mixture and spoon into the tin. Sprinkle the almonds around the edge of the cheesecake. Bake in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours, until well risen, and pale golden brown and shrinking slightly away from the sides of the tin, then turn off the heat and leave in the oven for a further 15 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin until quite cold; this cheesecake will sink slightly in the centre on cooling. Remove from the tin and place on a serving dish. Drain the cherries and, if necessary, stone them. Reserve the juice and blend 1/4 pint (150 ml) with the arrowroot in a small saucepan and then slowly bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Add the cherries and mix lightly; spoon over the cheesecake and leave to cool completely. Chill before serving.