Recipe: Mixed Berry cheese cake

Ingredients for the crust: 

Cracker crumbs--1 1/2 cups

Sugar--1 tablespoon

Unsalted butter, melted--6 tablespoons

For the filling:

Cream cheese, at room temperature--1 kg

Sugar--1 1/2 cups

Eggs--5no

Egg yolks--2no

Sour cream--1/4 cup

Grated lemon zest (2 lemons)--1 tablespoon

Pure vanilla--1 1/2 teaspoons

For the topping:

Red jelly or Jam--1 cup

Fresh strawberries--1/2 cup

Cherry canned--1/2 cup

Blueberries canned--1/2 cup

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C to make the crust, combine the crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch spring form pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. 

Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Raise the oven temperature to 220 degrees C.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 

Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. 

Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. 

The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the spring form pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the spring form pan for serving.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss berries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

( The recipe has been shared by Chef Rana Dominic Gomes, executive Chef Royal Orchid Hotels)