On Friday it was once again time to bake for the office, as we have cakes once a month to celebrate that month’s birthdays. I usually make three cakes; one chocolate cake, one cheesecake and one other.

The most popular cake this time was a lovely lemon cheesecake that I found on this Swedish food blog.

When I tried the batter (bowl licking is essential) I knew it would be good, as the flavour reminded me of my mother’s lemon mousse.

I made a few changes to the recipe; for one I prefer to bake the base as I like the texture more that way. Just let it cool completely (10 minutes in the fridge helps) before adding the creamy layer. I also omitted the passion fruit from the jelly because they didn’t have any in the shop I went too. I also used a vegetarian jelling agent instead of gelatine in the creamy mixture, but I prefer to give you the recipe as I found it. The simple – but effectful – decorations are bought sugar pansies.

Lemon cheesecake, serves 10

Base:

12 digestive biscuits (half a packet)

75 g softened butter

Filling:

400 g Philadelphia cheese
300 ml sourcream
1 lemon (zest and juice)
250 ml icing sugar
5 gelatin leaves or similar jelling agent
50 ml water

Lemon jelly:

100 ml fresh lemon juice
100 ml icing sugar
100 ml water
the zest from one lemon
a few drops yellow food colouring
2 gelatin leaves

Mix the digestives with the butter into crumbs and press it onto a a greased springform base. Bake for 10 minutes in 175C. Leave to cool completely.

Place the gelatin leaves in water, squeeze out the excess water and let them melt in the water on low heat. Leave to cool. Mix the cream cheese, sourcream, icing sugar, lemon zest and juice with the gelatin in a mixer/with an electric whisk until smooth. Pour it over the base and leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour.

Place the gelatin leaves in water and squeeze out the excess water. Melt the icing sugar in a pan with the water, on low heat. Add the gelatin to dissolve. Leave to cool and add the lemon juice, zest and food colouring. Pour the yellow mixture onto the set cake and leave it to set in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.