Blood orange cheesecake

At this time of year, I love the tang of blood oranges, here offsetting the creamy cheese. Jack

SERVES 8-12 PREP 35 mins plus at least 5 hrs chilling COOK 5 mins MORE EFFORT

For the base

100g digestive biscuits

50g butter, melted

For the filling

250g cream cheese

75g golden caster sugar 375g double cream

1/2 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out and reserved

1 gelatine leaf

For the jelly

500ml blood orange juice 2 gelatine leaves

2 oranges, segmented, to serve

1 For the base, blitz the biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the butter and mix. Spread in a tin about 20 x 20cm, and set aside.

2 To make the filling, whisk the cream cheese with the sugar, then slowly add the cream, whisking until soft peaks form. Remove a little of the mixture and melt it in a pan with the vanilla seeds and pod, then turn off the heat. Soak the gelatine in cold water for 10 mins.

3 Carefully remove the vanilla pod from the melted cream mix (warm it gently again if it has cooled). Take the gelatine out of the water and squeeze it to get rid of the excess, then stir it into the warm pan. Fold this mixture into the rest of the cream cheese filling. Pour on to the biscuit base and smooth the top. Chill until set, about 2 hrs.

4 For the jelly, bring the juice to a simmer in a pan on a medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 mins until reduced to around 250ml. Bring to the boil and immediately remove from the heat. Soak the gelatine as before and stir into the juice. Cool slightly, then pour over the cheesecake. Chill until set (at least 3 hrs or overnight). Serve with the orange segments.

GOOD TO KNOW vit c

PER SERVING (12) 328 kcals • fat 27g • saturates 17g • carbs 18g • sugars 14g • fibre 1g • protein 3g • salt 0.4g