Orange cheesecake with honey and pistachios

A baked cheesecake is always popular and the orange and pistachios give this one a delightful twist. The cheesecake will keep very well for several days in the fridge, without the final honey, orange zest and pistachio layer, which is added just before serving. (Illustrated)

SERVES 8–10

For the base

Softened butter, for greasing

325g Digestive biscuits

90g butter, melted and cooled

For the filling and topping

3 oranges

250g caster sugar

100ml water

350g cream cheese, softened

350g curd cheese, softened

150ml soured cream

4 medium eggs

120g clear, runny honey

30g shelled, skinless pistachios

Very lightly grease the base and sides of a springform cake tin, 22–24cm diameter and 5–6cm deep, with softened butter and stand the tin on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 175°C/Gas 3½.

For the base, crush the biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor, or place in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin. In a bowl, mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter until fully combined.

Tip the biscuit crumb mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out to form an even layer, pressing it firmly and uniformly with your flattened knuckles. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until the base has firmed up, like a pastry layer. Set aside, still on the baking sheet, and lower the oven setting to 140°C/Gas 1.

Using a swivel peeler, finely pare the zest of one of the oranges, removing it in strips, then cut these into long, thin julienne.

In a small pan, dissolve 75g of the sugar in the water over a medium heat and then bring to the boil. Add the orange zest julienne, reduce the heat to a simmer and poach the zest in the syrup for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, drain the zest julienne.

Rub the skins of the remaining 2 oranges against the finest grating surface of a box grater to produce a wet zest purée. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside.

Cut all 3 oranges in half and squeeze to extract the juice, then strain through a fine chinois or sieve.

Put the cream cheese, curd cheese, soured cream and remaining 175g caster sugar into a large bowl and mix together well, until smoothly combined.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs until light and foamy, then strain through a fine chinois or sieve into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon, then add the orange juice and the orange zest purée and mix to combine.

Pour the mixture on top of the base in the tin and bake in the oven for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for another hour, with the door very slightly open.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours before serving.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the inside of the tin and gently release the side of the tin, then carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.

Using a palette knife, spread the honey over the surface of the cheesecake. Sprinkle a little of the candied orange zest julienne over the top, then scatter over the pistachios. To cut, use a very sharp knife – dipped in hot water in between cutting each slice.

Cooling the cheesecake very slowly in the switched-off oven helps to prevent the surface from cracking. The filling will continue to firm up as it cools.