Vancouver Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 500 ml cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 125 ml ricotta cheese
• 6 large eggs
• 250 ml whipping cream
• 80 ml white sugar
• 5 ml lemon juice
• 1 vanilla bean, or 10 ml pure vanilla extract
• 250 ml fresh, cleaned raspberries
• 125 ml water
• 60 ml brown sugar
• 30 ml rum
• Raspberries

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Beat the cream cheese and ricotta together until smooth, continue beating as you mix in the sugar, then the eggs.
3. Slowly beat in the whipping cream.
4. Add lemon juice.
5. To add the bean, using a sharp knife, slice down the length of the bean, peel open and scrape down the bean to collect the contents. Using a spatula or second knife, scrape the contents of the bean into the mixture. Fold in.
6. Pour into large baking pan, or series of loaf pans.
7. Bake at 150°C for 45 minutes or so, slightly less time in loaf pans. The cake should still be jelly-like in the centre when done. Remove and allow to cool, then refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
8. Purée raspberries and strain through cheese cloth into a saucepan.
9. Place berry mix on burner at medium, add water. Stir occasionally.
10. When warm, stir in sugar and your rum of choice, and turn burner to high. Increase stirring rate.
11. After sauce has reached a boil, turn down to a low-medium range and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Then remove from burner and allow to cool.
12. Slice the cheesecake.
13. Sprinkle with berries and drizzle on sauce.
14. Serve.