Now this is a fancy recipe with multiple stages by Rie in The Happy Home Baker (Marshall Cavendish, 2019). First you have to make a Genoise sponge, which was a first for me, then you bake the cheesecake on top in a bain marie. It uses 8 eggs so it really is a special occasion cake/dessert. Whoever you share it with will be mightily impressed.


Genoise sponge:

4 eggs

140 g granulated sugar

130 g flour

4 tsp milk

8 tsp oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 20 cm tin with baking paper.

Combine flour, milk and oil in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl lightly mix the eggs and sugar. Set over a pot of simmering water and heat until the egg mixture is warm.

Take off the heat and whisk with an electric hand mixer or cake mixer for several minutes until thick and forms ribbons.

Fold in the flour with a spatula until fully combined, and the batter becomes thicker. Then add the liquids and mix quickly.

Pour into the tin and use the spatula to even out the mixture and get rid of any air bubbles. Tap the tin several times on the bench before putting in the oven.

Bake for around 25 minutes until the sponge is lightly golden and springs back when you touch the top.

Leave in the tin for a few minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.


Cheesecake:

20 cm Genoise sponge

150 g cream cheese

65 g mascarpone

165 g plain yoghurt

2 egg yolks

25 g cornflour

150 ml milk

2 egg whites

100 g caster sugar

boiling water


Preheat the oven to 200C. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm cake tin, ensuring the sides are 8 cm high. Wrap the base of the tin with foil. Have ready a deep baking dish large enough to fit the cake tin.

Place the sponge cake at the bottom of the tin.

Soften the cream cheese either by hand or microwave until soft. Add the mascarpone and mix well.

Add in yoghurt 1 Tbsp at a time until fully incorporated, then beat in egg yolks. Mix in cornflour.

Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Strain batter into a clean bowl and set aside.

In a bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy then add the sugar gradually until fully combined but still runny. Don't overbeat.

Scoop half the egg white mixture into the batter and fold gently until combined. Fold in the rest of the egg whites in 2 lots.

Pour over the sponge and put the tin in the baking dish. Pour hot water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the cake tin.

Turn oven down to 190C and bake for 13 minutes. Turn down to 150C, rotate tin and bake for around 30 minutes until set.

Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for 30 minutes.

Place on a wire rack and leave to cool completely in the tin. Chill in the fridge before serving.

You can serve it with yoghurt or whipped cream.