Condensed Milk Cheesecake with Aromatic Poached Peaches

This cheesecake is super light and fluffy.

Hands-on time 35min, plus cooling and (overnight) chilling. Cooking time about 1hr. Serves 8

• 250g gingernut biscuits

• 75g unsalted butter, melted

• 150g Philadelphia cream cheese

• 75g condensed milk

• 1tbsp lemon juice

• 4 medium eggs, separated, plus 1 whole egg

• 60g plain flour

• 100g caster sugar

FOR THE POACHED PEACHES

• 4 ripe peaches, see tip

• 400ml rosé wine

• 75g caster sugar

• 2 fresh bay leaves

• 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

1 Grease and base-line a deep 20.5cm round cake tin with baking parchment. Wrap the outside base and sides with a double layer of foil to make the tin water-tight. Whizz biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed (alternatively bash them in a food bag with a rolling pin). Add melted butter and whizz/mix to combine. Press into base of the lined tin, levelling with the back of a spoon. Chill 30min.

2 Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan)/ mark 2. Wipe the food processor bowl so it’s crumb free, add cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks and whole egg and pulse until smooth and combined. Sift in flour and pulse again. Scrape into a bowl.

3 In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a handheld electric whisk until they hold medium-firm peaks. Add sugar in three batches, whisking thoroughly after each addition – the meringue should be glossy and thick. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture with a large metal spoon. Pour into the tin, smooth to level and place in a deep roasting tin. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up the outside of the wrapped tin.

4 Bake for 45min until set with a slight wobble. Leave to cool in the roasting tin for 1hr, then remove from the water and chill (in cake tin) for at least 3hr, or ideally overnight.

5 For the poached peaches, if you can’t peel them easily, score a cross

in the bottom of each peach and place in a large heatproof bowl. Pour over boiling water to cover, leave for 30sec, then lift out with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of cold water to cool. Lift out and peel off skins. Halve and de-stone.

6 Heat wine, sugar, bay leaves and vanilla in a large, deep frying pan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peach halves and simmer for a couple of minutes, turning once or twice (simmer for longer if not tender).

Remove peaches to a plate and boil wine until reduced and syrupy (about 5min). Set aside to cool.

7 Remove cheesecake from fridge 30min before serving. When ready to serve, unmould from tin and transfer to a cake stand or plate. Top with poached peaches (or serve alongside) and drizzle with a little syrup. PER SERVING: 455cals, 8g protein, 20g fat (11g saturates), 55g carbs (36g total sugars), 2g fibre