Citrusy Easter cheesecake {with #LOTICooks}
A low-fi baking project for the four day weekend
I always think Easter is underrated. Sure, Christmas and summer holidays are great, but Easter - and specifically, the four day weekend it brings - is a welcome sight after the long hard slog of January and February. With winter firmly behind us and a little more time on our hands, it’s the perfect time to plan a gathering and have people over.
Whether that’s a family shindig (my destiny this weekend) or a last minute assembly of urban family staying put and making the most of the city emptying out, Thursday is about the time that I’ll usually be asking myself what I’m going to make for dessert.
Because for me, having people over is the excuse I need to make a dessert - but I’m looking for something that works hard. I want something suitably impressive, easy to make ahead, and crucially, that I won’t have to dedicate hours of my aforementioned long weekend to either. I also want something that’s a little indulgent (it is Easter after all), but that’s balanced and perfectly sweet - and for me, this citrusy cheesecake is just that. Here’s a little step by step if you fancy watching along.
To give my classic cheesecake a little springtime glow up, I’ve swapped out the traditional crushed biscuit base for one that’s inspired by the little chocolate nests we used to make at school before the holidays. There’s also a healthy amount of crushed mini eggs keeping things festive, with a slick of sour cream and little citrus zest - I’ve used lime, but lemon or orange would work beautifully too - to keep things bright, light and delicate.
This cheesecake is happiest made the day before you plan to serve it. Let it set in the fridge overnight, then top with the sour cream and mini eggs when you’re ready to dig in.
Base
X4 large Shredded Wheat
100g dark or milk chocolate
50g unsalted butter
50g golden syrup
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Topping
560g full fat cream cheese
300g double cream
50g icing sugar
Zest of x1 lime
320g Mini Eggs
150g sour cream
Line the base of a tall 7” or 8” loose bottomed cake tin with a circle of baking paper.
To make the base, place the dark chocolate, butter, golden syrup and salt in a pan. Set over a low heat to melt gentle, stirring occasionally to help it along.
Separately, crush the shredded wheat with your hand into crumbs. Once the chocolate mixture has melted, remove from the heat and pour over the shredded wheat, stirring until everything is evenly coated.
Press into the base of the cake tin, using your spoon or spatula to press into an even layer. Place in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
Crush half of the mini eggs into pieces. Whisk the cream until it is soft peaks. If in doubt, underwhisk it rather than taking it too far, as it will further thicken in the fridge. Add the icing sugar, lime zest and cream cheese and mix, then add the crushed mini eggs and mix through. Spoon on top of the base, smooth into an even layer, then allow to set in the fridge for at least four hours or, ideally, overnight.
When you’re ready to serve the cheesecake, top it with a slick of sour cream and the remaining mini eggs.
This recipe was first published by London On The Inside this week as part of #LOTICooks.