Cheesecake with honey poached plums

This cheesecake with honey poached plums is an American-style baked cheesecake with a wonderfully creamy texture and a delicate hint of lemon. Baked in a water bath, it has the smooth, velvety consistency of a classic New York cheesecake. The topping of soft, honey-poached plums makes it truly irresistible. This cheesecake perfectly captures the flavours of late summer.

Ingredients for the biscuit base:

• 200 g ginger biscuits
• 50 g butter, melted

Place the biscuits and melted butter into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles wet sand. Alternatively, place the biscuits in a sturdy freezer bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin before mixing with the melted butter.

Line the base of a 23 cm springform tin with baking paper. Press the biscuit mixture firmly into the base of the tin. Bake at 180°C for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly while preparing the filling.

Wrap the outside of the tin twice with aluminium foil, as the cheesecake will be baked in a water bath.*

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 500 g full-fat curd cheese, finely ground three times, or full-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
• 100 g sour cream
• 400 g sweetened condensed milk
• 50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1 tablespoon cornflour

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the filling ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until just smooth and combined, or whisk by hand. Do not overmix, as incorporating too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise excessively and then sink during cooling. The finished cheesecake should have a smooth, level surface. Pour the filling over the prepared biscuit base and smooth the top.

Bake at 160°C in a water bath* for 60–70 minutes. The surface should be set and no longer wet when gently touched in the centre. If necessary, bake for a few minutes longer. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Chill in the fridge for several hours, or preferably overnight.

Ingredients for the honey poached plums:

• 400 g plums
• 100 g honey

Stone the plums and place them in a saucepan with the honey. Cook gently over a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the plums, peel away the skins, then return the peeled plums to the honey syrup. Leave to cool completely.

Just before serving, spoon the honey poached plums over the chilled cheesecake.

* Baking in a water bath: Place the wrapped springform tin inside a larger roasting tin or ovenproof dish. Pour boiling water into the outer tin until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin. Baking in a humid environment helps the cheesecake bake evenly, prevents cracking and creates an exceptionally creamy texture.

Enjoy!