Recipe of the week: Sour cherry cheesecake

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A dream pudding, according to some people.

“Sour cherries are a prized ingredient in Turkey and here I’ve paired the sharp, tangy fruit with a baked yogurt and cream cheesecake. I use frozen sour cherries for this, as it’s near-impossible to find them fresh in the UK and they have the added bonus of being ready-pitted, which saves time. You can find them in the frozen aisles of health food shops such as Wholefoods, or in Polish or Middle Eastern delis,” says food writer Yasmin Khan.

“You can use sweet frozen cherries too, which are available in many supermarkets, you’ll just need to reduce the amount of sugar in the topping by one-third.

“To reduce the risk of the cheesecake cracking, follow these tips carefully: don’t over-mix the ingredients, be sure to line the baking tin, cook it slowly – if your oven runs hot, I’d be tempted to reduce the temperature given below and cook it for a little longer – and let the cheesecake cool down very slowly. This needs to be made ahead of time, as it has to chill for at least four hours before serving. I use a 23cm springform cake tin for this.”

Ingredients:

(Serves eight)

200g digestive biscuits;

100g unsalted butter, melted;

600g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature;

200g strained full-fat Greek-style yogurt;

200g caster sugar;

3 large eggs, lightly beaten;

1tbsp plain flour;

1tbsp vanilla extract;

1tsp finely grated unwaxed lemon zest;

1tbsp lemon juice

For the topping:

400g frozen, pitted sour cherries;

150g caster sugar;

1tbsp cornflour

Method:

1. Line a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Put the biscuits in a food processor and blitz to crumbs. Alternatively, place them in a plastic bag and hit them with a rolling pin until they are finely crushed (the latter is slightly more therapeutic).

2. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter, then spoon into the prepared tin, pressing down the base to form an even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator to set.

3. Beat the cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Whisk in the sugar, eggs and flour, then the vanilla, lemon zest and juice.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/Gas 3. Pour the filling into the chilled biscuit base and bake for around one hour. You can tell it is cooked when it looks set but still has a wobble in the middle. Now turn off the oven, open its door and leave the cheesecake to cool for 10 minutes without touching it. Remove it from the oven and leave to cool completely, then chill for four hours.

5. To make the topping, place the frozen cherries and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir frequently to begin with, so the sugar doesn’t catch. Once the cherries have defrosted and the sauce comes to the boil, add the cornflour and simmer for five minutes. Set aside and leave to cool.

6. To serve, either spoon the topping all over the cheesecake, or slice the cheesecake into pieces and place a dollop of cherries on top of each serving.

Ripe Figs: Recipes And Stories From The Eastern Mediterranean by Yasmin Khan, photography by Matt Russell, is published by Bloomsbury, priced £26. Available now.

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