Cheesecake (the breakfast of champions)

My grandma had a recipe for cheesecake that was unrivalled… until I went to Juniors in New York and considered my options. The below is an approximation of that recipe, taken from handwritten notes and with a little help from the Internet.

Ingredients:
Crust:
– 100g melted butter
– 160g digestives, smashed
– 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
Filling:
– 900g full-fat soft cheese
– 250g golden caster sugar
– 3 tbsp plain flour
– pinch of salt
– 2 tsp vanilla extra
– zest of one lemon
– juice of half a lemon
– 3 eggs and one extra yolk
– 200ml sour cream
Topping:
– 150ml sour cream
– 1tbsp sugar
– juice of half a lemon

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180C / 160C (fan) / gas mark 4
Line a 23cm springform cake tin with parchment paper, clipped beneath
Melt butter and combine with smashed digestives and 1tbsp sugar
Press into cake tin and bake for ten minutes
Cool on a wire rack

Increase the oven temperature to 220C / 200C (fan) / gas mark 7
Mix the 900g of cream cheese until smooth
Gradually add 250g golden caster sugar
Then 3tbsp plain flour
Then a pinch of salt
Add in 2 tbsp vanilla extract, lemon zest and juice of half a lemon. Follow with the eggs, a little at a time.
Stir to an airy, smooth batter
Brush sides of pan with butter
Pour in filling and bang on worktop to smooth
Bake for ten minutes
Reduce oven temperature to 110C / 90C (fan) / gas mark ¼
Bake for 45 minutes
Turn off oven and open door
Let the cheesecake sit in the open oven for two hours

Mix 150ml sour cream with 1tbsp sugar and juice of the other half of the lemon
Spread evenly across the top of cheesecake
Cover loosely in foil and transfer to fridge for an agonising eight hours
Release the sides with a palette knife

This is why I’ve called it the breakfast of champions. Without careful planning, it won’t be ready until the following morning. Hence why I had it as soon as I woke up.