Norwegian cheesecake with tipsy strawberries recipe

You might not have come across a Norwegian cheesecake before but this is the perfect easy recipe to make it a family favourite in your house.

The Norwegian cheesecake takes the classic New York cheesecake but instead of making the base with crumbled digestive biscuits makes the base with Scandinavian pepperkaker or 'ginger biscuits' just for that twist.

Everyone has tried a classic New Yorker cheesecake so this different take on the traditional dessert is sure to make yours a memorable one.

Topped with alcohol soaked 'tipsy' strawberries it's perfect for a dinner party with friends.

Ingredients

For the base:

• 200g pepperkaker or ginger biscuit crumbs
• 50g melted butter
• 50g demerara sugar
• Pinch of ground cinnamon

For the filling:

• 4 eggs, separated
• 175g caster sugar
• 240ml sour cream
• 1tsp vanilla
• 2tbsp plain flour
• 240g full-fat cream cheese

For the tipsy strawberries:

• 40g cold unsalted butter
• 2 punnets strawberries (hulled and halved or quartered)
• 3tbsp brandy
• 3tbsp Grand Marnier
• Juice of 2-3 oranges
• Zest of 1 orange

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan/gas mark 3. Lightly oil a 23cm round cake tin and set aside. Mix the cheesecake base ingredients in a medium bowl with a pinch of salt, then tip them into the base of the cake tin, press down firmly and refrigerate.
2. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with 125g sugar until pale, then add the sour cream, vanilla, flour and a pinch of salt. Beat in the cream cheese a large spoonful at a time.
3. Beat the egg whites separately with the remaining 50g of sugar until stiff peaks form. Add one large spoonful of this to the cheesecake mixture to loosen it, then fold through the rest of the egg whites, being careful not to knock out all the air.
4. Spoon the mixture into the chilled cake tin, flatten the top with a pallet knife and bake in the middle of the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the surface feels firm. Cheesecake shouldn’t take on too much colour, so check after 25 minutes and if necessary turn the heat down 20º or so. Leave to cool in the oven for an hour after turning the oven off.
5. Melt half the butter in a large sauté pan, add the strawberries and sear for 1-2 minutes until they soften. Add the brandy and Grand Marnier, stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate for 1-2 minutes. Flambé the berries if you’re confident that it won’t set the kitchen on fire!
6. Remove the berries with a slotted spoon and set aside, then add the orange juice and zest to the pan and heat to reduce the liquid by half. Add the remaining cold butter to add gloss to the sauce before stirring the strawberries back in.
7. Drizzle a large spoonful of warm tipsy strawberries over each slice of cooled cheesecake and serve.