Sweet and creamy, with a distinctive texture provided y the crushed amaretti in the filling, this luscious almond-flavored cheesecake offers something of an adult dessert that’s just great for entertaining.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

• 200 g/7 oz amaretti biscuits
• 80 g/ 3 oz butter, melted
• 200 g/7 oz cream cheese
• 260 g/9 oz mascarpone
• 120 ml/4 fl oz creme fraiche
• 125 g/4½ oz caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornflour, dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
• 6 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
• 3 large eggs
• Crushed amaretti biscuits, to decorate

Method:

Grease a 20 -cm/8-inch round springform cake tin. Put 140 g/5 oz of the biscuits in a food processor and process into crumbs. Stir the crumbs into the melted butter, then press the buttered crumbs evenly over the base of the tin. Chill for 30 minutes, then wrap the tin in two layers of aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4. Beat the cream cheese and mascarpone until soft, then beat in the creme fraiche, sugar and cornflour until smooth and creamy. Beat in the Amaretto followed by the eggs one at a time. Beat until smooth. Put the remaining biscuits in a plastic bag and crush roughly with a rolling pin. Add the crumbs to the cream cheese mixture and fold in.

Pour the filling over the base and tap the sides of the tin to level the surface. Place the cake tin in a roasting tin and pour boiling water around it to about 2.5-3.5 cm/1-1½ inch deep. Bake for about 50 minutes until firm (but still with a wobble in the center). Leave to cool, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, carefully turn out the cheesecake and decorate with more crushed amaretti.