Cheesecake with pomegranate & elderflower syrup and berries

Nothing beats a soft, velvety cheesecake and this one couldn’t be easier to whip up. Top it with plump summer berries and a drizzle of the delicious Bottlegreen Pomegranate & Elderflower cordial – that’s right, cordial isn’t only for drinking, folks. We did both, of course, because whoever said ‘too much of a good thing’, obviously hasn’t tasted this cheesecake.

Fridge cheesecake recipe with cordial

The on-going debate over which cheesecake is in fact the best is a sensitive (and serious) issue among cheesecake connoisseurs – one that is not to be entered into lightly and in fact inspired a Yuppiechef cheesecake taste-off. But whether you’re on team ‘fridge’ or team ‘baked’, you have to admit that there are days when the time it takes for a baked cheesecake to get out of the oven and into your mouth seems like forever. Try this winning fridge cheesecake recipe for days of precious time.

 Ingredients (serves 10-12):

1 packet coconut tea biscuits
½ cup melted butter
2 tsp gelatine powder
1 1⁄2 Tbsp water
750g cream cheese, softened
1½ cups Greek yoghurt
¾ cup castor sugar*
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Seasonal berries, to garnish
Bottlegreen Pomegranate & Elderflower Cordial, to serve

Tools:

Spring form cake tin
Food processor

Fridge cheesecake with alternate cordial mix

*For an extra punch of pomegranate & elderflower flavour, swop out the ¾ cup castor sugar for the same amount of cordial. It will not only infuse a delicate fruity flavour to your cheesecake but give it a slightly pink blush.

Method:

1. Process the biscuits until fine crumbs form before whizzing in the melted butter.
2. Press the biscuit crumb mixture into a greased 20cm spring form tin and set aside.

Tea biscuit ans butter crust

3. On a separate saucer or shallow dish, sprinkle the gelatine powder over the water and allow it to absorb and swell.
4. In the meantime, combine the cream cheese, yoghurt, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in a food processor until creamy and smooth.

Fridge cheesecake batter

5. Melt the gelatine briefly in the microwave until just dissolved and allow to cool slightly.
6. With the motor running on your food processor, pour the cooled gelatine into the cream cheese mixture in a thin steady stream.
7. Process for a minute or so to make sure everything is combined well. Pour the cheesecake mix over the biscuit crumb crust and smooth the top with a palette knife.
8. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until firm. Take the cheesecake out of the mould by gently sliding a hot palette knife or thin knife around the edges.
9. Toss the berries in the pomegranate elderflower cordial and pile them on top of the cheesecake. Serve with an extra drizzling of syrup.

Berry and Bottle Green cordial topping for fridge cheesecake

TIP: For a swirly effect, keep a little cheesecake mix aside and blend with the cordial to form a deep pink cheesecake batter. Drop the pink mixture into the white cheesecake mix and use the back of a spoon to create swirls before refrigerating.

Head this way to see the full range of cordials by Bottlegreen.