base
250g plain or digestive biscuits, crushed
125g butter, melted
filling
250g cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 c cream, whipped (or 1 cup)
4 tsp gelatine and 3 tbsp cold water
or
10 g agar agar and 1/4 c milk
2 1/2 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
base
Put the biscuits into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin, or process in a food processor. Add the melted butter. Mix well.
Press into the base of a 23cm spring form tin and chill while making the filling.
filling
Beat cheese and sugar, add egg yolks, beat in the whipped cream with vanilla.
Mix together the gelatine and water, heat in in bowl over a pot of hot water, till runny.
Or if using agar, in a small pot add milk and agar agar powder, mix well. Over a medium heat bring it to a boil while stirring constantly, cook until the agar powder is dissolved. Remove from the heat.
Pour gelatine or agra mixture into the cream cheese mixture, fold in until well incorporated.
Beat egg whites till stiff, fold in.
Tip into prepared base.
Refrigerate for 5 hours to set.
Variations
Berry Fruit, fresh or frozen –
250g fruit (fresh or frozen, thawed)
1 1/2 tbsp cold water
1 1/2 tsp gelatine powder
sugar if desired
Mix the gelatine with water, let it soak for few minutes then heat it up. Place the fruit in a bowl, add the gelatine mixture.. Chill, then pour on top of set filling.
Berry Fruit, canned – drain juice of 1 can of berry fruit, put this aside, then force the fruit through a sieve to eliminate seeds. Add 2 tsp gelatine to tinned fruit pulp and juice, heat to dissolve gelatine. Chill, then pour on top of set filling.
Apricot – to filling add chopped and drained 410g can apricots in juice.
Citrus – to filling add orange peel of 1/2 an orange and juice of one orange.
Pineapple & ginger – to plain biscuits base add finely chopped crystallised ginger, to filling add drained tinned pineapple.
Banana – mash 3 bananas, then mix into cheesecake filling. Slice a layer of bananas on top before serving.
Coffee – 1 tbsp instant coffee to filling
Hint: A covered cheesecake can be frozen, it will keep for 3 weeks.