2 - 3ozmelted butterjust enough to help the oreos bind together
pinchof salt
Balsamic Swirl Lime Cheesecake
24oz/ 680g cream cheesesoftened
¼cupheavy cream
7oz/ 200g white sugar
4tbsplime juice
zest of 2 limes
2tspvanilla extract
1tspcorn flour
4egg yolks
1egg
3tbspbalsamic syrup
⅓cupsour cream
2tbspconfectioner's sugar / icing sugar
Instructions
Balsamic Syrup (make it a day ahead)
Place the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a non stick saucepan and bring it to a boil on medium - high heat. (NOTE - the smell of vinegar gets quite strong as it boils and then reduces, so make sure to keep your windows open)
Reduce the heat and simmer the balsamic vinegar, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about ⅓ of a cup.
Let it cool and store in a glass container until you’re ready to use it.
Cheesecake Crust
Butter and line an 8 inch Springform round cake pan. Wrap the outside with foil. Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
Pulse the Oreos in a food processor till they turn into crumbs.
Add the melted butter, a tablespoon at a time until the oreos start binding together when you squeeze them between your fingers (I added about 2.5 oz of melted butter).
Press the oreo cookie crumbs into the base of a prepared Springform cake pan. Use the back of a spoon or a flat base of a glass to press down. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
Balsamic Swirl Lime Cheesecake
NOTE - Do not over beat the cheesecake batter, which can lead to cracks (if you do get small cracks on the top of the cheesecake however you can use the sour cream topping to cover them).
Preheat oven to 275°F /135°C.
Place the cream cheese, cornflour, sugar, cream, vanilla, lime juice and lime zest in a bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix all the ingredients until everything is just smooth.
Add the whole egg, and then the egg yolks one at a time, mixing between each addition (but not too much!)
Once the eggs have been incorporated, separate 1 cup of the batter into a bowl. Add the balsamic syrup to this and mix.
Pour the plain batter into the prepared springform pan (with the baked crust). Drizzle the balsamic cheesecake batter all over the top and using a spatula or butter knife, create a swirl/pattern.
Place the cheesecake in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.
Lower the heat to 250°F / 120°C and bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until the surface has just started to brown and the center is just set (with a slight wobble).
Turn off the oven and while keeping the oven door ajar, let the cheesecake cool completely.
Once the cheesecake is at room temperature, run a sharp knife around the edges and carefully release the cheesecake from the springform pan (if you used parchment paper this will be very easy).
Mix the sour cream and icing sugar together and spread this evenly on top of the cheesecake.
Let the cheesecake chill in the fridge overnight before eating (this is the hardest part!)
Cut with a warm knife, and serve with a drizzle of balsamic syrup. (optional - serve with some strawberries on the side).