Blackberry cheesecake with poached blackberries

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Crumble the biscuits by hand and combine with the soft butter. Press the biscuit mixture down into a 20-22cm cake tin. Bake for 10 minutes, then allow to cool.

• step 2

  Whip the double cream with 150g of caster sugar and 5 drops of lime juice. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese with a wooden spoon until soft and creamy, then fold into the whipped cream. Using your fingers, squish about 8 or 9 blackberries into the mix and fold everything together.

• step 3

  Transfer the mixture onto the biscuit base. Lightly bang the cake tin down onto the work surface a few times – this will get rid of any unwanted air bubbles. Press and smooth out the top of the cake using clingfilm, then leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour.

• step 4

  Put the rest of the sugar and 200ml of water in a pan and heat until dissolved, then bring to the boil. Add the remainder of the blackberries and bring back to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature.

• step 5

  Remove the cheesecake from the fridge and, remembering to remove the clingfilm, evenly scatter the blackberries over the top, then drizzle over about 4 tbsp of the cooking syrup. (Serve the rest of the syrup with the cheesecake if you like.) Chill overnight.