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PEDRO XIMENEZ SHERRY CHEESECAKE




Source of Recipe


Reprinted with permission from The Gastropub Cookbook


List of Ingredients




For the base
170 g (6 oz) digestive biscuit crumbs
40 g (1 1/2 oz) skinned, roasted and crushed hazelnuts
40 g (1 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
grated zest of 1/2 lemon

For the filling
1.5 kg (3 1/2 lb) cream cheese
225 g (8 oz) icing (confectioners') sugar, sieved
3 medium eggs
2 vanilla pods, cut in half and the seeds scraped out
10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract (not vanilla essence)
100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) Pedro Ximénez sherry
finely grated zest of 2 lemons

To serve
Shelled and skinned whole hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped



Recipe



1. To make the base, combine all the ingredients. Press the mixture into a 22.5 x 6.25 cm (9 x 2 1/2 inch) springform tin that has been lined with greased parchment paper. Chill.

2. Preheat the oven to 175°C / 335°F / gas mark 3 1/2.

3. To make the filling, put the cream cheese in a blender and blend until smooth. Add all the other ingredients except the lemon zest and blend well. Then add the lemon zest — do not be tempted to add it earlier or the mixture will split.

4. Pour the filling on to the chilled base and bake for 45 minutes. Only the outside 2.5 cm (1 inch) of the cake will appear to be cooked; the middle should be wobbly. Cool completely and then chill for 2 hours, or until set.

5. Serve at room temperature. Place a slice on a plate and scatter on the toasted hazelnuts. Serve with large glasses of chilled Pedro Ximénez sherry.