Blackberry cheesecake

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the crushed biscuits with the almonds and butter, then press the mixture into the bottom of a 23cm cake tin lined with baking parchment. Bake for 15 mins, then cool completely until the crust firms up. Reduce the oven temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and place a baking tray filled with water at the bottom of the oven.

• step 2

  Beat the soft cheese with 200g of the sugar. When fully combined, stir in the vanilla extract and beat in all the eggs, one at a time. Finally, stir in the soured cream.

• step 3

  Whizz the blackberries in a blender and pour through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds. You should be left with about 60ml of blackberry purée. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and the remaining sugar, then set aside. Pour half of the cheesecake mixture onto the crushed biscuit base and drizzle over half of the blackberry purée. Use a skewer to create a blackberry swirl. Repeat with the remaining half of the mixture and blackberry purée.

• step 4

  Bake the cheesecake for 50 mins-1 hr or until the edges are firm but the centre still wobbles. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and let the cheesecake cool inside until nearly cold. Then take it out, leave to cool completely and put it in the fridge overnight. Scatter over a handful of fresh blackberries and a few mint leaves to serve. Will keep chilled for up to three days.