Bakewell cheesecake

Method

1. To make the sweet pastry, you can use your hands, a food processor or a stand mixer. To combine the flour, icing sugar, ground almonds and butter with your hands, rub the ingredients between your thumbs and fingertips. If using a food processor, use the pulse function or in a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and add the butter a few cubes at a time. Whatever the method, keep going until you have fine breadcrumbs.

2. If you're working by hand, make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Add the egg mixture, then add the ice-cold water (just enough so that the dough starts to clump and bind) and work quickly to incorporate. If you're using a food processor or stand mixer, add the eggs, pulse or mix, then gradually add the water. Once the dough starts to clump, tip out the mixture and bring it together briefly by hand. Do not overwork it or the pastry will be elastic, rather than crisp.

3. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and form each into a ball. Press the balls with the palm of your hand to turn each into a fairly flat, but fat disc (this will help with rolling out the pastry). Wrap the pastry discs tightly in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using.

4. Grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin that is 4cm/1½in deep with a little butter and lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the pastry to a disc about 30cm/12in in diameter and 3mm thick. Carefully transfer to the cake tin and let it sink into the base. Tear off a little piece of pastry, roll into a ball and use to gently press the pastry case into the corners around the base. The pastry should come about halfway up the side of the tin. In the end, the cheesecake filling will come up above the edge of the pastry. Prick the pastry base all over with a fork and line with a big piece of scrunched-up baking paper. Fill with baking beans. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Once the pastry has chilled, blind bake the case in the oven for 15 minutes, until just browning.

6. Meanwhile, make the frangipane. Using a hand whisk, whisk the butter in a bowl until it is fluffy and light. Add the icing sugar and ground almonds and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition, then finish by folding in the flour until everything is incorporated. Set aside.

7. To add the filling, remove the pastry from the oven (leave the oven on). Remove the baking beans and baking paper and pour half of the black cherry filling into the pastry crust, spreading the cherries out in an even layer. Chill the remaining cherry filling in the fridge – it can be used to decorate the cheesecake or use in another recipe. Spoon all of the frangipane mixture over the top of the cherry filling, smoothing out evenly to cover. Return to the oven for a further 25–30 minutes, until the frangipane is golden but still a little soft to touch.

8. While the tart is baking, whisk together the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla in a bowl with a hand whisk, until light. Pour in the cream and whisk again until smooth and fully combined. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack for about 1–2 hours. Cover the cheesecake with the cream cheese topping and leave in the fridge overnight to set.

9. Remove the cheesecake from the tin and decorate with the remaining half of the cherry filling, if you like, as well as the glacé cherries, fresh cherries and flaked almonds. Cut into slices to serve.