Cooking with Craig....

...and Happy Birthday Rob!

Last month we celebrated Hannah Oddy's 24th birthday with a 'lovely' Hannah Montana cake...to follow on from the (very new) tradition of extra special birthday cakes we sent Craig back into the kitchen to work his magic.

This time he really surpassed himself (and has a lot to live up to on the next birthday!).

His very special strawberry cheesecake (complete with a very fetching pink birthday candle) went down an absolute treat, and he has now set a precedent for birthday cakes from now on!

Biscuit base

100g unsalted butter, plus a little to grease the tin

200g digestive biscuits

50g caster sugar

Filling

500g cream cheese, at room temperature

200g caster sugar

3 eggs

2 tbsp cornflour

300g sour cream

1 tsp vanilla essence

How to make...

1 Lightly grease a 20cm spring-form cake tin.

2 Melt the butter gently in a small pan on a low heat. Roughly break up the biscuits and place them in a food processor. Process the biscuits for 2-3 minutes until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the sugar, then pour in the melted butter and process for 30 seconds to combine.

3 Put the biscuit mixture into the base of the tin, using the back of a tablespoon to smooth the surface evenly. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4 Rinse out the processor bowl. Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl and process for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cornflour, cream and vanilla essence, and process for 30 seconds to combine.

5 Pour the filling into the tin and bake in a low oven at 150C/Gas 2 for 1 hour. When cooked, the cheesecake should be well risen, with a golden-brown top. It should feel slightly firm to touch - if the mixture still appears wet, continue to bake a little longer. When cooked, turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven, with the door open. When completely cool, place in the fridge.

Credit for the above to Gordon Ramsay!

For the additional topping that’s all my own:

1 Pack of Raspberries
2 (heaped) tablespoons of raspberry jam
100ml cold water
70g sugar

This ones an easy part, simply throw all the ingredients in a pan and simmer until the ingredients have fully dissolved, continue until the mixture has no loose water left and has started to thicken.

Cool quickly by placing the pan into a sink filled with cold water for several minutes (whilst stirring) once this is fairly cool to the touch spread generously over the top of the cheesecake and return to the fridge to set.