How to make lime and ginger cheesecake

On a hot summer’s night, this dessert will cool you down – and it’s more sophisticated than an ice lolly

Mango and pistachio make a delicious topping (Julia Platt Leonard)

Hot summer days (and nights) cry out for a cool – even cold dessert. There’s always ice cream and sorbet, but a cheesecake chilled nicely in the refrigerator ticks all the boxes too.

This recipe is based on one from the 1970s classic Doubleday Cookbook.

It has two layers of filling: the first is a cream cheese mixture and the second is made with sour cream.

It’s simple to pull together but you do need to allow time to bake the layers and then to let the cheesecake set overnight.

To make slicing easier, place a round of baking parchment on the bottom of your springform pan.

And to get clean slices, wipe your knife with a damp towel or some kitchen roll after cutting each piece. Serve as is or with sliced fruit and chopped nuts.

(Julia Platt Leonard)

Lime and ginger cheesecake

Crust

190g ginger biscuits, about 18 in total
50g caster sugar
75g butter, melted

Filling

500g cream cheese
2 eggs
100g caster sugar
zest of 1 lime

Topping

240g sour cream
50g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Garnish (optional)
Sliced mango or other fruit
Chopped pistachios 

Preheat oven to 175C. Line the base of a 20cm x 7cm springform pan with a circle of baking parchment. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Crush the ginger nut biscuits and mix with the sugar and butter. Press the mixture into the base of the pan and slightly up the sides.

Using a hand mixer, blend together the cream cheese, eggs, caster sugar and lime zest to make the filling. Once blended, increase the speed and mix for a minute or two until light and fluffy. Pour the filling on to the crust and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven – it will be wobbly in the centre. Let cool for 15 minutes.

While it’s cooling, increase the oven temperature to 220C and make the topping by mixing together the sour cream, caster sugar and vanilla. Gently spread the topping over the filling. Place back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before covering and refrigerating overnight in the tin. To serve, top with sliced fruit and chopped pistachios (optional).

@juliapleonard