The original recipe for this luscious, irresistible, baked cheesecake comes from my friend Alexandra.  The first time that she prepared it for us was like ten years ago, and we all loved it.  I still remember that we tried to make a copy of the recipe, but the printer had run out of ink!  No smartphones at that time for a quick snapshot.

 

Fortunately, my friend’s eldest daughter was also around, and she kindly volunteered to handwrite it all … Thanks, Jessica!

Since then, I have baked this amazingly delicious cheesecake on different occasions, because it always makes everybody happy.

 

 

For practical reasons, I have also modified some measurements as below.

200 g butter biscuits (I use Petit Beurre), finely crushed
75 g (½ cup) brown sugar
100 g butter, melted
500 g ricotta
250 g mascarpone
75 g (½ cup) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 16 g (2 sachets) Bourbon Vanillezucker
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 large eggs
250 g (1 ¼ cup) raspberry jam or jelly – I prefer jelly to avoid the seeds
Optional:  fresh raspberries to decorate and/or serve

23-cm (9-inch) square springform pan or a 25-cm (11-inch) round one

Preheat oven:  180°C (350°F)

 

Line bottom and sides of the springform pan with parchment paper.

 

 

 

Place crushed biscuits into a bowl.

 

 

 

Add sugar and melted butter.  Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Spoon the biscuit crumbs onto the base of the prepared baking pan.  Press the mix evenly.  Set aside.

Beat ricotta, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until just combined.

Whisk eggs and add them to the mixture, beating until smooth.

Pour the mix into the biscuit base.

Bake for 50-60 min or until just set in the center–some prefer not to have it brown on top, but I do.  Do not open the oven during the baking time!  The picture shows that this time it cracked—maybe I left it too long in the oven–but it doesn’t matter as it will be covered with the raspberry topping …

Leave the cheesecake to cool in the springform pan.  After a minimum of 3 hours in the fridge (preferably overnight), carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and take off the parchment paper.

Heat up the jam/jelly until it liquifies again.  I microwave it on High for 1-1 ½ min, but you can also do it on the stove.

Whisk the liquid jam/jelly so it is smooth and spread evenly over the cheesecake.

As tempting as it is to try it right away, a cheesecake is best cold, so place it in the refrigerator for at least, 3 hours, before enjoying.

Serve on its own or with extra raspberries.