The Ultimate Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 200 C / Gas 6.

Mix the digestive biscuit crumbs, 100g of the caster sugar and the melted butter together. Press mixture into the bottom of a 23 or 25cm springform cake tin.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks; mix until smooth. Add the remaining 350g of caster sugar, the flour and the double cream. Blend until smooth. Pour cheesecake mixture into prepared tin.

Bake at 200 C / Gas 6 for 10 minutes, then turn oven temperature down to 100 C / Gas 1/4 and continue baking for 1 hour, or until filling is set. Let cheesecake cool, then refrigerate.

Tips for a perfect cheesecake:

Don't overbake: While it may look underdone, a cheesecake is actually done when the centre is still wobbly. Residual heat 'carries over' and the centre continues to cook once out of the oven.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool on a rack, or simply leave the oven door closed, turn off the heat and let the cheesecake cool undisturbed for at least 1 hour. This helps prevent the cheesecake from sinking in the centre. After chilling, the once-wobbly centre should firm up beautifully!

Bake in a water bath: The most effective way to bake a cheesecake evenly without browning the top is to bake in a water bath. Since water evaporates at boiling point, the water bath will never get hotter than 100C, no matter the oven temperature. This means that the outer edge of your cheesecake won't bake faster than the centre, which can cause it to sink and crack.

Mixing matters: Make sure your cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature before mixing, or you'll end up with lumps in your cheesecake. If you do end up with lumps in the batter, give it a quick spin in the food processor for silky smooth results.

Don't forget to chill: A cheesecake needs several hours to chill and set, making it a perfect make-ahead dessert. Cheesecake tips For more easy tips on how to make a perfect cheesecake, check out our Perfect cheesecake tips how-to guide.

Provided by:Allrecipes