A pleasantly tangy, beautifully bright cheesecake for any celebration table. It’s best made a day in advance. Decorate with salted caramel sauce and berries just before serving. You can also make the cake in a larger 24 cm tin – in that case spread the biscuit crumbs only on the base and the cake will simply be lower.
Base
- 260 g gingerbread biscuits or other favourite biscuits
- 125 g butter
Filling
- 6 gelatine leaves
- 4 dl whipping cream
- 300 g plain cream cheese
- 2 dl sugar
- 1 dl strong unsweetened sea buckthorn juice (e.g. Semu)
To decorate
- 2–3 dl frozen sea buckthorn berries
Salted caramel sauce
- 50 g butter
- 1 dl brown sugar
- 0.5 dl whipping cream
- 2 dl icing sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
Crush the biscuits and mix with the melted butter. Press into the base and sides of a 20 cm springform tin lined with baking paper. Chill.
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5–10 minutes, using enough water to cover them.
Whip the cream to soft peaks. Sweeten the cream cheese with sugar and beat until smooth. Fold the two mixtures together and whisk until even. Heat the sea buckthorn juice in a saucepan to boiling, then remove from the heat. Squeeze each gelatine leaf dry and dissolve them one by one in the hot juice, stirring with a spoon each time until fully dissolved. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes. In a thin stream, whisk the sea‑buckthorn‑gelatine mixture into the cream‑cheese mixture. Pour the filling onto the biscuit base and return the tin to the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
For the caramel sauce, melt the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan, stirring, then add the cream and icing sugar. Simmer, stirring, and season with salt. Let cool for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon the caramel around the edge of the cake so that some drips picturesquely down the sides. Pile frozen sea buckthorn berries in the centre of the cake.
Recipe: Lia Virkus
Photo: Jaan Heinmaa
