This is the best baked cheesecake ever. Like ever! For years, I baked so many cheesecakes and finally have found a recipe that I am happy with, again, thanks to my amazingly talented sister who made this cake a while back, I am now hooked on it. It is so soft, moist, creamy and not overly sweet. I think it has the perfect balance of sweet and sour (from the raspberry coulis)

RECIPE FOR BAKED NEW YORK CHEESECAKE Adapted from A Glutton in London with slight modifications Serves: 12 Cook time: 1 hour Cool time: min 4 hours (preferably overnight) Ingredients

3 tbsp melted butter

1 packet Scotch finger or any biscuit of choice (about 200grams)

3 tbsp plain flour

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tsp finely grated orange zest

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160ºc. Fan forced.

2. Lightly grease a 22cm springform pan and lined with baking paper.

3. Mix biscuits and melted butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture into the bottom evenly.

4. Whisk flour, sour cream and vanilla extract in a bowl, and set aside.

5. Stir cream cheese and sugar with a wooden spoon in a large bowl until evenly incorporated, about 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Pour milk into cream cheese mixture and whisk until just combined.

7. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.

8. Stir in lemon and orange zests, and sour cream mixture. Whisk until just incorporated.

9. Pour mixture into springform pan and bake for about an hour, when the edges have puffed up slightly and the surface of the cheesecake is firm except for a small spot in the middle which should jiggle when the pan is gently shaken.

10. When the baking time is over, turn off the oven and let it cool in the oven for 3 to 4 hours to prevent cracks in the cheesecake. This is really important, and my cheesecake did not crack at all! woohoo!

Ingredients for coulis

1 cup raspberries

1/3 cup caster sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Method for coulis

1. Add all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until incorporated.

2. Leave to cool for 15mins before blending it,  finally put it through a sieve and serve!