Fluffy lemon cheesecake

A festive classic – a wonderful Polish-style lemon cheesecake. Light, fluffy and impressively tall, with its characteristic sunken centre and higher edges. A true Easter table essential!

This cheesecake rises dramatically during baking and then naturally settles as it cools, so a deep tin is essential. I bake it in a 23 cm springform tin that is 8 cm deep, and the cheesecake rises about 2 cm above the rim. If you only have a standard-depth tin, use a 25 cm springform tin and create a baking paper collar extending above the sides to prevent the cheesecake from overflowing. To do this, butter the sides of the tin and line both the base and sides with baking paper, ensuring the paper extends well above the rim.

Ingredients for fluffy lemon cheesecake:

• 1 kg full-fat or semi-fat curd cheese, triple-ground*
• 250 g butter*
• 300 g icing sugar
• 8 large eggs, separated
• 2 heaped tablespoons potato starch
• 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
• finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the butter and icing sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the curd cheese in three additions, mixing thoroughly until smooth after each addition. Add the potato starch, plain flour, lemon zest and lemon juice, then mix until fully combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the cheesecake mixture to loosen it slightly, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.

Prepare a deep 23 cm springform tin (8 cm deep) or a standard 25 cm springform tin with a baking paper collar extending above the rim. Line the tin with baking paper and pour in the cheesecake mixture. Smooth the surface.

Bake at 180°C for approximately 70 minutes. The cheesecake will rise significantly, turn golden brown and may crack. As it cools, it will settle naturally and many of the cracks will even out. Leave to cool in the switched-off oven with the door slightly ajar. While cooling, gently run a knife around the edge of the tin to release the cheesecake. This helps it settle evenly as it cools. Once completely cool, refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Enjoy!