Almond cheesecake

A perfect cheesecake for the Easter table. This deliciously creamy almond cheesecake is made with almond butter and almond cream – products easily available online or in well-stocked shops, and also simple to prepare at home. The cheesecake is baked on a delicate almond shortcrust base, topped with a luscious almond cream, and decorated with whole almonds and flaked almonds. The result is truly exceptional – and certainly not the flavour you may know from cheesecakes made with almond extract. If you haven’t tried this combination yet, I highly recommend it!

Ingredients for the almond shortcrust base:

• 120 g plain flour
• 20 g ground almonds
• 80 g cold butter, diced
• 65 g icing sugar
• 2 egg yolks (from large eggs)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt

Knead all the ingredients together (in a food processor or by hand – cutting the butter in with a knife, then adding the remaining ingredients and bringing the dough together) until it forms a smooth ball. If the dough is too crumbly, add 2 tablespoons of cold water. Wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes.

Line the base of a deep 23 cm springform tin with baking parchment. Remove the dough from the fridge, roll it out and use it to line the base of the tin. Prick the surface with a fork and pre-bake for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.

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

Ingredients for the almond cheesecake filling:

• 1 kg full-fat or semi-skimmed curd cheese, minced three times
• 200 g almond paste
• 200 ml double cream
• 5 large eggs
• 250 g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tsp almond extract

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the filling ingredients into the bowl of a mixer. Mix just until combined, or stir with a balloon whisk. Do not overmix, as incorporating too much air will cause the cheesecake to rise excessively and then collapse. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the pre-baked shortcrust base and smooth the top.

Bake at 170°C in a water bath* for approximately 60–70 minutes. The entire surface should be set and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar, then refrigerate for about 12 hours before serving.

Ingredients for the almond topping:

• 200 g almond cream
• blanched almonds and flaked almonds, for decoration

Stir the almond cream and gently warm it in a bain-marie or in the microwave until slightly runny.

Remove the almond cheesecake from the refrigerator one hour before decorating. Pour the warm (not hot) almond cream over the top and spread it evenly across the surface. Decorate with whole blanched almonds and flaked almonds. Chill again and store in the refrigerator.

* Water bath method: to bake the cheesecake in a water bath, place the wrapped springform tin inside a larger baking tin or ovenproof dish. Pour boiling water into the outer tin until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin. The cheesecake bakes in steam and high humidity, ensuring it cooks evenly throughout – even in the centre – without cracking, and retains a perfectly smooth, creamy texture.

Enjoy!