Vanilla Cheesecake

Let me apologise up front for a couple of weeks of cheese cakes.... Yes there will be more...

I have found that the Chief Crash Test Dummy can eat these easily and they are everything his dietitian needs him to eat.  

I don't know about you but when ever I do a baked cheese cake I always panic over water getting into the base, no matter how well I wrap the outside in foil.

I have found the solution!  You know those Chicken roasting in the bag, bags?? Yep I put that around the cake tin first then wrapped it in foil, voila no leakage and no soggy bottom!

1 package sweet biscuits such as nice

60 gm butter, melted

2 x 250 gm packages of cream cheese

1 x 250 gm mascapone cheese

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or the seeds scrapped from one vanilla pod

4 eggs

Line your 20 cm tin with baking paper, then place in a large roasting bag.

Wrap in foil, you don't need to be to careful here if using the roasting bag.

Blitz your biscuits to fine crumb and mix through the melted butter.  Press into your lined cake tin and gently press up the sides.  Bake at 180C for 10 minutes to set the base.

Beat your cheeses until smooth, beat in the sugar until combined.

Beat in your eggs one at a time making sure they are combined between each egg, remember to scrape down the sides as well.

Add your vanilla and beat again.  Pour into your tin.  Place tin in a baking tray and fill with boiling water half way up the sides of your tin.  Bake at 175C for an hour.  At this stage your cheesecake should be set around the edges and have the slightest of wobbles in the centre.  Turn off the oven and with the handle of a wooden spoon, prop the oven door open.  Allow to cool in the oven for an hour then remove.  Remove the foil and baking bag and refrigerate over night or minimum of 8 hours.

Decorate as desired and serve.