White chocolate & passion fruit cheesecake

SERVES: 6 PREP TIME: 30 MINS, PLUS COOLING AND CHILLING OVERNIGHT COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR AND 15 MINS

INGREDIENTS

● 50g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

● 100g digestive biscuits, crushed

● 125g white chocolate, chopped

● 125ml single cream

● 225g cream cheese, softened

● 225g mascarpone cheese

● 4 tbsp golden caster sugar

● 2 tsp vanilla extract

● 3 eggs, separated

● 125ml passion fruit pulp, sieved to remove pips

● Passion fruit to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ fan 160°C/gas mark 4.

2. Grease a 20cm diameter springform cake tin.

3. Put the crushed biscuits and melted butter into a bowl and mix well. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until golden.

4. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Reduce the oven temp to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas mark 2.

5. Tip the chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Put the cream into a small saucepan and heat, then pour on to the chocolate and stir until smooth. Set aside.

6. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone together until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks. Stir in the white chocolate mixture and passion fruit pulp.

7. In a large, clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add a large spoonful of the egg whites to the passion fruit mixture and mix vigorously, then gently fold in the remaining whites until smooth.

8. Spoon the mixture onto the cooled base and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until set but with a slight wobble in the centre.

9. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool inside for 2 hours, with the door ajar.

10. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the tin and decorate with fresh passion fruit.