Cheesecake… what could I possibly say about this wonderful, creamy dessert that I, or Gregg Wallace, haven’t already said? Indeed, there’s little point in me waxing lyrical about cheesecakes; I have indulged in such a thing many times before. However, I find it near impossible to forego any opportunity to discuss cheesecake. As such, I shall delve into the particulars of the very article you see before you… it was magnificent.

As far as the recipe for this delight is concerned, it is merely a slightly altered version of my de-constructed strawberry cheesecakes. There seemed little point in creating something fundamentally different; the subtle flavour and smooth texture of this cheesecake worked perfectly with the berries. Indeed, the sweetness and earthiness of the fruit really shines through, without the need of refined sugar.

On to my news, which I’m sure many of you have been waiting for with bated breath… The reason why I’ve been a little lax on the blog front in the past week is that I’ve been moving my life back to Bristol, the city in which I went to university. I’ve moved in with my girlfriend, Katherine, and am once again enjoying city life and all the opportunity it brings. Indeed, tomorrow I start a new part-time internship as an Editorial Assistant of Resource, a Bristol-based magazine all about recycling, waste and sustainability. Needless to say, I’m very excited! It’s just a shame that I made this cheesecake nearly a week ago… I could do with a slice right now!

Blackberry Cheesecake

Makes 1 cheesecake of roughly 20cm in diameter

Ingredients:

• 250g blackberries, freshly picked if possible

• 450g cream cheese, it needn’t be expensive

• 6 tbsp butter, melted

• 150ml double cream

• 4 gelatine leaves, or equivalent

• 200g digestive biscuits, finely crumbled

Method:

1. First, juice the blackberries by blending them and passing them through a sieve in order to remove any seeds.

2. Place the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until soft. Heat the double cream gently before adding the soaked gelatine, remember to squeeze it of any excess water. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the gelatine has dissolved. Add the cream and fruit juice to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly.

3. Mix the crumbled biscuit with the melted butter and press it into a greased springform pan. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the buttery biscuit base and pop into the fridge to set. This should take a few hours. Consume within 3-4 days.

Cost: Blackberries can be rather expensive if not hand-picked, so you may add £1-£1.50 if you’re intent on buying them. However, blackberries are fairly easy to come by in the “wild”, so purchasing them shouldn’t be necessary. As such, this cheesecake should set one back no more than around £2.80. Trust me, it’s definitely worth it, even if you have to buy the fruit.