whisky and raspberry cranachan cheesecakes
This cheesecake is inspired by the classic Scottish dessert, cranachan – whipped cream flavoured with whisky and honey folded through with toasted oats and fresh raspberries.
FOR THE FLAPJACK BASE
50 g/3½ tablespoons butter
30 g/2½ tablespoons caster/white sugar
40 g/2 tablespoons golden/light corn syrup
100 g/1 cup rolled oats
a pinch of salt
FOR THE FILLING
150 g/1–1¼ cups raspberries
80 ml/⅓ cup whisky
300 g/1⅓ cups cream cheese
300 ml/1¼ cups crème fraîche
80 ml/¼ cup honey
2 eggs
generous 1 tablespoon flour, sifted
TO SERVE
fresh raspberries
pouring cream
a baking sheet, greased
8 x 6-cm/2½-inch diameter chef’s rings, greased and placed on a greased baking sheet
MAKES 8
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.
For the flapjack base, heat the butter, sugar and golden/corn syrup together in a saucepan until the butter and sugar have melted and the mixture is syrupy. Stir in the oats and salt and mix well so that all the oats are coated.
Spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–30 minutes until the flapjack is golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Whilst still warm, use one of the chef’s rings to stamp out 8 rounds of flapjack to use as bases, then leave them to cool completely. Leave the oven on.
For the filling, soak the raspberries in the whisky for 30 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and crème fraîche. Whisk in the honey, eggs and flour, then fold through the raspberries and any remaining soaking whisky. Spoon the mixture into the chef’s rings on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes until golden brown on top. Leave to cool then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
When you are ready to serve, place a flapjack disc on each plate and top with a cheesecake. Serve with extra fresh raspberries and cream and a tot of whisky if you wish.