INGREDIENTS
650 g Philadelphia cream cheese
200 g Digestive biscuits
120 g Unsalted butter, melted
250 ml Double cream
200 g Sugar
1 Vanilla pod, sliced lengthways
1 Spoon Cornflour
1 Egg
5 Yolks
Equipment: 23 cm loose-bottomed cake tin
METHOD
Crush the biscuits into fine crumbs and mix them thoroughly with melted butter in a large bowl until the crumbs are completely coated. Butter and line with baking paper the 23 cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Pour the biscuits mixture into the prepared cake tin. Using your fingers and a metal spoon, flatten the biscuit mixture onto the base, then start to build up the sides, adding extra mixture and working it up the tin to form thin walls. Once you’ve used up all the mixture, bake 175° for 10 minutes and then leave it chilling to set firmly.
To make the filling: In a large mixing bowl beat together the eggs, the double cream, the cornflour and the sugar until well mixed. Then add Philadelphia cream cheese and keep beating in a bain-marie for 3 minutes until smooth. Add vanilla powder grated from the pod.
Spoon the cream mixture onto the chilled biscuit base, working from the edges inwards and making sure that there are no air bubbles. Smooth the top of the cheesecake with a palette knife or metal spoon. Transfer to the oven, on a baking sheet, and bake for 120 minutes at 90°. Remove from the oven, leave it cool and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Bring the cheesecake to room temperature, about 30 mins before serving, Just before serving, garnish with the orange zest syrup.
Buon appetito!
