Blueberry cheesecake

Method
Prep:25min  ›  Cook:1hr30min  ›  Ready in:1hr55min 

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF, gas mark 4). Line the bottom of a 21 cm (8 1/2 in) springform cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Make the biscuits into crumbs, either by crushing them in a food processor or by putting them in a strong plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
3. Mix together the crushed biscuits, oats and melted butter. Spread this mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared tin, pressing down firmly, and set aside.
4. Put the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add the curd cheese, fromage frais, the whole egg, 2 egg yolks, cornflour and lemon zest. Blend briefly until evenly mixed. Tip the mixture into a bowl.
5. Whisk the 2 egg whites in a clean bowl until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the icing sugar, whisking until the meringue is thick and glossy. Gently fold half the meringue into the cheese mixture. Fold in the blueberries, followed by the rest of the meringue.
6. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base in the tin and bake for 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 160ºC (325ºF, gas mark 3). Bake for a further 1 hour or until the cheesecake feels just set in the centre. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool for 30 minutes, with the door slightly ajar – this helps to prevent cracking.
7. Transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack to cool completely, then chill until ready to serve. Run a knife around the side of the cheesecake to loosen it, then remove it from the tin. Peel off the lining paper and place the cheesecake on a serving plate. Decorate with the extra blueberries and a few fresh mint leaves, and finish with a light dusting of icing sugar.

Cheesecake tips

For more easy tips on how to make a perfect cheesecake, check out our Perfect cheesecake tips how-to guide.

Each serving provides

A, B12, C * B2, folate, zinc

Plus points

Blueberries are a good source of vitamin C and, like cranberries, they contain compounds that have been shown to inhibit bacteria which can cause urinary-tract infections. Studies have suggested that these compounds may also help to protect against cataracts and glaucoma. * Cottage cheese is high in protein but low in fat, and provides useful amounts of the B vitamins B1, niacin, B6 and B12.

Some more ideas

Use ginger nuts or oatmeal cookies instead of digestive biscuits. * Make a sponge instead of the biscuit base. Follow steps 2 and 3 of Summer fruit Swiss roll on page 30, but using 1 egg, 30 g (1 oz) caster sugar and 30 g (1 oz) plain flour. Bake the mixture in the springform tin in a preheated 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6) oven for 10 minutes or until well risen and pale golden. * For a red fruit cheesecake, make the filling as in the main recipe, but omitting the blueberries. For the topping, gently heat 55 g (2 oz) sugar with 120 ml (4 fl oz) water in a saucepan until dissolved. Add 170 g (6 oz) stoned cherries and simmer for 3 minutes or until just softened. Remove the cherries with a draining spoon. Mix 1 tbsp arrowroot with 1 tbsp cherry or orange liqueur or water. Add to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes or until the liquid is clear and thickened. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the cherries, 115 g (4 oz) raspberries and 115 g (4 oz) halved small strawberries. Leave to cool before spooning over the cheesecake.