Birthday Cheesecake!

It was a very special birthday last week, and the Birthday boy is not very fond of my usual rich, chocolate covered with more chocolate birthday cakes. So I decided to make a very special cheese cake for his birthday. And when I need something to be perfect the first time I make it I only go to Nigella Lawson

This one is her New York Cheesecake from How to Be a Domestic Goddess. It is a wonderful airy cake that is rich and light at the same time. I halved the recipe but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.Needless to say it was a huge hit, and a breeze to make. Here's how you go about it.

What you need:-

For the base

250 g digestive biscuits
150 g butter, melted
3 tablespoons caster sugar

For the filling

225 g caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
750 g full fat soft cream cheese (like Philadelphia)
6 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
150 ml heavy cream
150 ml sour cream
1 lemon, zest of, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites

To serve 

Nigella suggests you use raspberries or blackberry. Having access to neither I used gorgeous apricot and cherries.

How:

•   Crush the digestive biscuits to fine crumbs in a blender or food processor. Add the melted butter and sugar and mix. Press onto base of greased 24cm springform cake tin. Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
•  Mix the cornflour with the sugar and beat in the cream cheese, egg yolks and vanilla extract with an electric mixer (or by hand).
• Slowly pour in heavy cream and sour cream, beating constantly. Add the lemon zest.
• Clean and dry your whisk. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt to stiff peaks, then fold into the cheese mixture carefully.
• Scoop cheese onto base. Bake in a 170°C oven 1 to 1 1/2 hours without opening the oven door until golden brown on top. Turn off the heat and let the cake stand in the oven for two more hours. Open door, stand a further hour. Then chill it in the refirgerator for a few hours. 
• Serve chilled, dusted with icing sugar and decorated with whatever your heart desires.