Pimm's ripple cheesecake recipe

Pimm's ripple cheesecake is a take on a classic New York-style baked cheesecake with add a dash of our favourite tipple: meet the Pimm's ripple cheesecake. The ripple effect on top is actually easy to create once you know how. This delicious cheesecake should take about 1hr to make and is the perfect summer pud as it features strawberries which are best enjoyed in the summer when you can buy locally sourced ones. This Pimm's ripple cheesecake is great served at a barbecue or picnic and is perfect served outside on a sunny day.

Ingredients

For the base

:

• 250g digestive biscuits
• 120g butter, melted and cooled

For the filling:

• 600g cream cheese
• 250g mascarpone
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

For the Pimm's drizzle sauce:

• 180g strawberries, stalks removed
• 45ml Pimms

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm-round springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
2. Crush the Digestives with the end of a rolling pin or whiz in the food processor, until you have fine crumbs. Mix the Digestive crumbs with the melted butter and pour into the cake tin. Press down firmly with the back of a wooden spoon. Bake this base in the oven for 10-15 minutes or just until golden, then remove and leave to cool.
3. While the base is cooling, whisk together the cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar with an electric mixer until combined and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking again after each addition. Fold in the lemon zest with a large metal spoon.
4. Blitz the strawberries in a food processor, or bash them with the bottom of a rolling pin. Remove and add to a fine-mesh sieve. Press down firmly with a wooden spoon so you just have a strawberry liquid. Whisk this liquid together with the Pimm’s in a small jug.
5. Spoon the cream cheese mixture on top of the cooled base, then smooth the top. Add a teaspoon of the Pimm's sauce on top the top, then use a toothpick to drag the sauce and create a swirled effect. Repeat until the top of the cheesecake has enough swirls.
6. Wrap the base and sides of the cake tin tightly in kitchen foil until watertight, then place in a roasting tin. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin until it comes half way up the sides of the cheesecake tin.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature for 140°C/120°C fan/275°F/Gas mark 1 and bake for a further 40-45 minutes until the cheesecake has set, but retains a slight wobble in the centre.
8. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely in the tin before serving. For best results, cool the cheesecake in the fridge overnight. Use a sharp knife to run around the inside of the tin before removing the cheesecake from the springform tin.