Ingredients

• 90g/3¼oz butter
• softened
• plus extra for greasing
• 325g/11½oz digestive biscuits
• 3 oranges
• 250g/9oz caster sugar
• 350g/12oz cream cheese
• softened
• 350g/12oz curd cheese
• softened
• 150ml/5fl oz soured cream
• 4 free-range eggs
• 120g/4½oz runny honey
• 30g/1oz shelled pistachios

Directions

• Very lightly grease the base and sides of a 23cm/9in springform cake tin approximately 5cm/2in deep. Stand the tin on a baking sheet.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan and allow to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
• Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor
• or place in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin.
• In a bowl
• mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter until fully combined. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out to form an even layer
• pressing it firmly and uniformly with flattened knuckles.
• Bake for 12 minutes
• or until the base has firmed up like a pastry layer. Set aside on the baking sheet to cool.
• Lower the oven temperature to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
• Using a swivel peeler
• finely pare the zest of one orange in strips
• then cut these into long
• thin julienne.
• In a small saucepan
• dissolve 75g/2½oz of sugar in 100ml/3½fl oz of water over a medium heat
• then bring to the boil.
• Add the julienned orange zest
• reduce the heat to a simmer and poach the zest in the syrup for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. One cooled
• drain the julienned zest and discard the syrup.
• Rub the skins of the remaining oranges against the finest grating surface of a box grater to produce a wet zest purée. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside.
• Juice all the oranges
• then strain the juice through a fine chinois or sieve.
• Put the cream cheese
• curd cheese
• soured cream and remaining sugar in a large bowl and mix until smooth.
• In another bowl
• whisk the eggs until light and foamy
• then strain through a fine chinois or sieve into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon
• then add the orange juice and zest purée and mix to combine.
• Spoon the mixture over the cooled biscuit base and bake for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for a further hour
• with the door very slightly open. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and leave to cool completely. Once cooled
• refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours before serving
• When you’re ready to serve
• run a knife around the inside of the tin and gently release the sides of the tin. Carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.
• Using a palette knife
• spread the honey over the cheesecake. Sprinkle a little of the candied orange zest julienne on top and scatter over the pistachios.
• Use a very sharp knife dipped in hot water to cut the cheesecake into slices
• returning the knife to the hot water in between slices.