Baked honey cheesecake

Recipe provided by Michael Diacono

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

• 480g honey
• 150ml fresh cream
• 110g brown sugar
• 350g cream cheese
• 70g white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 vanilla pod
• 680g mascarpone
• 120g cantuccini or other hard biscuits, coarsely crushed

Method

1. You will need one 27cm spring form tin which seals well and a larger baking tin to act as a Bain Marie.
2. Heat the honey and reduce by half then add the fresh cream. Mix well and keep aside.
3. Grease the spring form tin with butter and sprinkle the brown sugar all over to coat the base and sides.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C.
5. Whisk the cream cheese with the white sugar till well amalgamated then add the eggs one at a time.
6. Split the vanilla pod length wise and scrape out the seeds. Add to the cream cheese.
7. Whisk in the mascarpone, but only till all the lumps are worked out. Do not over beat.
8. Mix in half the amount of the honey cream.
9. Pour into the prepared tin and flatten the top.
10. Place into the larger baking tin and fill with hot water till halfway up. Cover with foil.
11. Bake for 45 mins then remove the foil and reduce oven temperature to 170°C.
12. Cook for a further 30 mins. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.
13. When ready to serve loosen the sides with a sharp knife and warm the base lightly with a warm cloth to release the bottom.
14. Serve topped with the crushed cantuccini and the remaining honey cream.