Black Currant Cheesecake Delight (Printer View)

Creamy, velvety cheesecake with a tangy black currant swirl offering a sophisticated sweet-tart balance.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1.5 cups digestive biscuits or graham crackers, crushed
02 - 5.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Black Currant Compote

05 - 2 cups fresh or frozen black currants
06 - 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
07 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

→ Cheesecake Filling

09 - 1.5 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
12 - 3/4 cup sour cream
13 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
14 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
15 - Zest of 1 lemon
16 - Pinch of salt

# Method Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 320°F. Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, combine crushed biscuits, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool completely.
03 - In a small saucepan, combine black currants, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until berries release their juices and soften, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in sour cream, flour, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Pour cheesecake filling over cooled crust. Spoon cooled black currant compote in small dollops over the surface, then use a skewer or knife to gently swirl the compote into the batter for a marbled effect.
06 - Place springform pan in a larger roasting tin and fill tin with hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes until edges are set but center still jiggles slightly.
07 - Turn off oven and crack the door open. Let cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tart-sweet balance feels sophisticated enough to impress guests, yet it comes together without fussy techniques or rare ingredients.
  • Watching the purple compote swirl through the filling is weirdly meditative, and it gives you an elegant-looking dessert that tastes even better than it looks.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are absolutely essential; I once made this with cold eggs and cream cheese out of impatience, and the filling was grainy and refused to bake evenly.
  • The water bath is not optional—it's what transforms a decent cheesecake into one that's creamy in the center instead of dry and cake-like, and it's the secret to avoiding cracks entirely.
03 -
  • Make the compote a day ahead so it's completely cold and you're not juggling timing—it also deepens in flavor as it sits.
  • If black currants are impossible to find where you live, frozen work just as well and are often cheaper; blueberries or raspberries make a different but equally delicious version.
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