Crunchy amaretti biscuits and sultanas soaked in almond liqueur are the heroes of this delicious baked cheesecake.
Cheesecake is my favourite dessert and I can never say no to cheesecake. I think I must have inherited my love of cheesecake from my mum because she is a cheesecake lover too. In fact, she gave me this Baked Cheesecake recipe which is one of her all time favourites and it’s David’s too! High praise indeed!
Me, my mum and David have birthdays within a week of each other so that means there’s a lot of cake. Being an ex-pat means we don’t get to spend many birthdays together but I did get to spend a nearly birthday with my mum this year as I was there a few weeks before her big day – I knew it would have to be something special because let’s face it, it’s not every day you turn 75!
Mum can’t go past a baked cheesecake so this was going to be just the ticket! The sultanas are soaked in the liqueur which makes them taste delicioiusly almondy and oh, so juicy and the plain biscuit/amaretti combo in the base makes for a lovely light almond flavour. It really is something special!
Mum loved this and I loved it too, so much so that I couldn’t wait to recreate it at home in the Thermomix. To be honest, it’s super easy however you make it, just remember to soak the sultanas in the liqueur for at least an hour before to get the fullest flavour!
This cheesecake is best made ahead and chilled overnight and decorated with the amaretti biscuits just before serving. It’s also freezer friendly which means that mum can get to enjoy some birthday cake for the foreseeable future!
What’s your favourite liqueur? Are you on Team Cheesecake too?
Ingredients
100g sultanas
3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
80g butter, melted
175g digestive biscuits
30g amaretti biscuits
100g caster sugar
600g full fat cream cheese
3 eggs
170g sour cream
3 tablespoons self-raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
a few extra amaretti biscuits, to serve
How to – Traditional
- Place the sultanas in to a small bowl and mix with the liqueur. Set aside for about an hour.
- Lightly grease a 23cm springform cake tin and set aside. I like to line the base with baking paper to ensure easy removal. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan-forced.
- At this stage, you can pop the sultanas into the microwave for a minute and then allow to cool.
- Crush the biscuits using a food processor and add to the melted butter. Press the mixture into the base of the tin. Use your hands or a spoon to do this and bake for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
- In a medium bowl, beat the sugar, cream cheese, eggs, flour, sour cream and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the sultanas and add any remaining liqueur.
- Place springform tin on a baking tray, place in oven and check after 30 minutes. The cheesecake is ready when it looks set in the center with a slight wobble. It needs about 35 minutes in my oven.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the oven door slightly ajar. When the cheesecake is completely cool, put it in the fridge overnight.
- Serve dusted with icing sugar and some broken amaretti biscuits.
How to – Thermomix
- Place the sultanas in to a small bowl and mix with the liqueur. Set aside for about an hour.
- Lightly grease a 23cm springform cake tin and set aside. I like to line the base with baking paper to ensure easy removal. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan-forced.
- Melt butter for 1 minute at 80C on speed 3. Check butter is completely melted. Add biscuits to TM bowl and crush for 5 seconds on speed 9. The mixture should have the texture of damp sand. If necessary, blitz for another 5 seconds. Tip the mixture into the springform tin. Press the biscuit butter mixture into the base of the tin. Use your hands or a spoon to do this and bake for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Wash and dry bowl. Add sugar, cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, vanilla and flour and mix for 30 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down lid and sides of bowl. If necessary, mix again for another 5-10 seconds.
- Add sultanas and any remaining liqueur. Mix for 10-15 seconds on reverse speed 3. Pour cream cheese mixture over base.
- Place springform tin on a baking tray, place in oven and check after 30 minutes. The cheesecake is ready when it looks set in the center with a slight wobble. It needs about 35 minutes in my oven.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the oven door slightly ajar. When the cheesecake is completely cool, put it in the fridge overnight.
- Serve dusted with icing sugar and some broken amaretti biscuits.
