Cheesecakes are not at the top of my list of must have desserts however they always go down a treat with guests and a traditional one is easy to make.

I like serving my cheesecakes naked with a topping on the side but there are a wealth of toppings you can add. Cherries with a chocolate biscuit base is a delicious combination. Whatever your choice and for a festive twist, adding a few splashes of our Makers & Merchants Mulled Wine Syrup adds a wonderful warming spicy hit.

For the base, our chocolate Brilliant Biscuits are made with double chocolate and hazelnuts so have that added nutty crunch which makes for a fine cheesecake base.

Serves 8

Ingredients

300g Makers & Merchants Chocolate & Hazelnut Brilliant Biscuits

125g of butter

750g cream cheese

250 caster sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional topping:

Berries, cherries or any red fruit frozen or fresh

2 teaspoons of Cornflour

50g sugar or 100ml Makers & Merchants Mulled Wine Syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4 and grease a 24cm springform cake tin.

Crush the Brilliant Biscuits in a blender, melt the butter and mix both together in a bowl. Press and evenly spread the biscuit mixture into the bottom of the cake tin. 

Whisk the cream cheese in a bowl with the sugar and then beat in the eggs and the vanilla extract with a spoon until all is combined and you have a delicious thick cream. Pour over the biscuit base and bake for 50 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely and refrigerate.

For the topping this can be made in a number of ways. I like a naked cheesecake with the fruit on the side so guests can have as much fruit as they desire. However, if you want to add a topping, mix a couple of teaspoons of cornflour to a paste with water. Add to a saucepan with fresh or frozen red fruit of your choice and a sprinkling of sugar to sweeten (approx. 50g) or for a spicy festive kick add 100ml of Makers & Merchants Mulled Wine Syrup instead of the sugar. Cook gently for about 5 minutes. Don't let the fruit collapse, it needs to retain its shape. Cool.

Remove the ring from the tin and spoon over the fruit topping and serve. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.