Showstopping  Festive  Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the gingerbread

  • 100 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 50 g Billington’s Light Brown Soft Sugar
  • 225 g selfraising flour
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 5 tbsp golden syrup

For the cheesecake base

  • 100 g unsalted butter, melted
  • 300 g gingerbread biscuits

For the cheesecake filling

  • 750 g fullfat cream cheese (e.g., Philadelphia or mascarpone)
  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 2 tsp NielsenMassey vanilla extract
  • 300 ml double cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Optional topping

  • 150 ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • Gingerbread men (to decorate)

 

Directions

1 | Gingerbread

  1. Place the softened butter and light brown sugar in a medium saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Stir until the mixture blends together, but do not boil.
  2. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then sieve in the selfraising flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger, beating the mixture together. Add the golden syrup and beat until smooth. (If you prefer your gingerbread spicier, add an extra tsp ground ginger.)
  3. Turn the mixture out onto some cling film and pat into a flat disc. Wrap tightly and chill for 30 minutes.
  4. Heat the oven to 190 °C (Gas Mark 5). Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
  5. Dust the work surface with a little flour and roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out roughly 12 gingerbread men (reserve for decoration) and shape the remaining dough into biscuits. Place all onto the baking trays.
  6. Bake for 1012 minutes until just beginning to darken at the edges. Remove and leave on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then transfer the gingerbread onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

2 | Cheesecake base

  1. Take 300 g of your cooled gingerbread biscuits and place into a food processor; blitz to fine crumbs. Alternatively, place the biscuits in a bowl or bag and crush with a rolling pin.
  2. Gently melt the butter until liquid and then combine with the biscuit crumbs. (Tip: You can pour the melted butter straight into the processor and blitz again for ease.)
  3. Press the biscuitbutter mixture firmly into the base of a deep 8″ / 20 cm springform tin. Chill in the fridge (or freezer) while preparing the filling.

3 | Cheesecake filling

  1. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice (if using). Whisk until smooth and evenly mixed — this takes about 1525 seconds on medium speed with either a handheld or stand mixer.
  2. Pour in the double cream and continue whisking on medium speed until the mixture thickens. (Alternative method: separately whisk the cream to stiff peaks and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.)
  3. Aim for a thick, stable texture — better to stop just slightly underwhisked than overwhisked.
  4. Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the chilled biscuit base, smoothing the top evenly. Chill in the fridge for 56 hours, or ideally overnight, until fully set.

4 | Decoration

  1. Once set, whip together the optional 150 ml double cream and 2 tbsp icing sugar until soft peaks form.
  2. Use this to decorate the cheesecake, then top with your reserved gingerbread men for a festive finish.

Notes & Tips

  • Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing for smoother results.
  • For best slicing, run a hot knife under warm water, dry it, then cut straight through the chilled cheesecake.
  • The optional topping adds visual impact and lightness; feel free to skip if you prefer a cleaner finish.
  • This cheesecake is best served chilled and within 23 days of making.

For the gingerbread

  • 100 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 50 g Billington’s Light Brown Soft Sugar
  • 225 g selfraising flour
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 5 tbsp golden syrup

For the cheesecake base

  • 100 g unsalted butter, melted
  • 300 g gingerbread biscuits

For the cheesecake filling

  • 750 g fullfat cream cheese (e.g., Philadelphia or mascarpone)
  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 2 tsp NielsenMassey vanilla extract
  • 300 ml double cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Optional topping

  • 150 ml double cream
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • Gingerbread men (to decorate)

 

Directions

1 | Gingerbread

  1. Place the softened butter and light brown sugar in a medium saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Stir until the mixture blends together, but do not boil.
  2. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then sieve in the selfraising flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger, beating the mixture together. Add the golden syrup and beat until smooth. (If you prefer your gingerbread spicier, add an extra tsp ground ginger.)
  3. Turn the mixture out onto some cling film and pat into a flat disc. Wrap tightly and chill for 30 minutes.
  4. Heat the oven to 190 °C (Gas Mark 5). Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
  5. Dust the work surface with a little flour and roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out roughly 12 gingerbread men (reserve for decoration) and shape the remaining dough into biscuits. Place all onto the baking trays.
  6. Bake for 1012 minutes until just beginning to darken at the edges. Remove and leave on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then transfer the gingerbread onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

2 | Cheesecake base

  1. Take 300 g of your cooled gingerbread biscuits and place into a food processor; blitz to fine crumbs. Alternatively, place the biscuits in a bowl or bag and crush with a rolling pin.
  2. Gently melt the butter until liquid and then combine with the biscuit crumbs. (Tip: You can pour the melted butter straight into the processor and blitz again for ease.)
  3. Press the biscuitbutter mixture firmly into the base of a deep 8″ / 20 cm springform tin. Chill in the fridge (or freezer) while preparing the filling.

3 | Cheesecake filling

  1. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice (if using). Whisk until smooth and evenly mixed — this takes about 1525 seconds on medium speed with either a handheld or stand mixer.
  2. Pour in the double cream and continue whisking on medium speed until the mixture thickens. (Alternative method: separately whisk the cream to stiff peaks and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.)
  3. Aim for a thick, stable texture — better to stop just slightly underwhisked than overwhisked.
  4. Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the chilled biscuit base, smoothing the top evenly. Chill in the fridge for 56 hours, or ideally overnight, until fully set.

4 | Decoration

  1. Once set, whip together the optional 150 ml double cream and 2 tbsp icing sugar until soft peaks form.
  2. Use this to decorate the cheesecake, then top with your reserved gingerbread men for a festive finish.

Notes & Tips

  • Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature before mixing for smoother results.
  • For best slicing, run a hot knife under warm water, dry it, then cut straight through the chilled cheesecake.
  • The optional topping adds visual impact and lightness; feel free to skip if you prefer a cleaner finish.
  • This cheesecake is best served chilled and within 23 days of making.

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