Triple Ginger Cheesecake with Poached Rhubarb

Recipes from Suzanne James | www.suzannejames.co.uk

Serves 8-12

Preparation time about 30-45 minutes

Cooking time approx 30 minutes in total plus chilling minimum 3 hours

Ingredients for the base

• 100g Duchy Original Stem Ginger Biscuits Finely Crushed

• 50g Digestive Biscuits

• 60g butter, melted

• 20cm (8”) greased spring form tin

Ingredients for the filling

• 4000g forced rhubarb cut into 2.5cm batons

• 50g caster sugar (for the rhubarb)

• 1 tbsp grated stem ginger

• 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup from the jar

• 800g cream cheese (or full-fat soft cheese such as Philadelphia)

• 75ml double cream

• 200g caster sugar (for the filling mixture)

• 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways & seeds scraped out

• 2 whole eggs

• 2 egg yolks

Method

1) For the base, place the biscuits & butter in a bowl, stir well & then press into the base of the tin. Place in the fridge to chill.

2) Prepare the rhubarb. Put 50g caster sugar, the stem ginger syrup & 1tablespoon of water in a wide shallow pan & bring to a gentle simmer. Add the rhubarb & poach gently for 10 minutes or until the rhubarb is just cooked when tested with the point of a knife. Do not allow the rhubarb to go mushy. Place a sieve over a bowl & drain the rhubarb well. Reserve the juice.

3) Whilst the rhubarb & the base are cooling prepare the filling, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6.

4) Put the cream cheese, cream, sugar, vanilla seeds, eggs & egg yolks in a clean blender or food processor & blend until smooth & mixed –do not blend for more than a minute, otherwise the mixture might split if it overheats.

5) Now scatter the grated stem ginger over the

In Season This Month

Fruit, Nuts & Fungi - Forced Rhubarb

Vegetables & Herbs - Asparagus, Artichoke, Beetroot, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Chicory, Jerusalem

Artichoke, Kale, Leek, Onion, Pak Choi, Parsnip, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, Spinach, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Swede, White Cabbage, Wild Garlic

Meat & Game - Hare, Spring Lamb, Venison

Fish & Shellfish - Anchovy, Cockles, Cod, Dab, Dover Sole, Gurnard, Hake, Halibut, Langoustine, Lemon Sole, Lobster, Mussels, Oysters, Red Mullet, Sardine, Salmon, Shrimp, Sole, Tuna, Whitebait, Winkles biscuit base, & then evenly spread half of your drained poached rhubarb on top.

6) Pour the filling mixture over the rhubarb in the cake frame or tin, then tap the frame a couple of times to remove any trapped air bubbles.

7) Bake the cheesecake in the oven for 22–25 minutes. Once cooked, the top will have coloured golden brown slightly & will have risen (souffléd) slightly, but it will sink back down once set. The cheesecake will also still have a slight wobble in the centre when it’s ready (once chilled, this will have set perfectly).

8) While the cheesecake is cooking, place the reserved rhubarb juices in a small pan & cook over a gentle heat so that it reduces to a thick syrup. Leave to cool.

9) Remove from the oven & leave the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours before cutting. The chilled baked cheesecake will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

10) Cut the chilled cheesecake into 8-12 even portions. Decorate with the remaining poached rhubarb & spoon a little of the syrup over each slice. Enjoy!