Oreo cookie cheesecake

Method

Method

1. For the base: preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3.

2. Put the Oreo cookies into a plastic freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin until they resemble breadcrumbs. Tip the bashed cookies into a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then press the mixture down firmly into a 20cm spring-form cake tin.

3. Bake for 15 minutes just to harden the crumbs slightly and then leave to cool.

4. For the topping: beat the cream cheese, vanilla extract, sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl (set the egg whites aside). Add the soured cream and beat again. Crumble in the Oreo cookies and stir to combine. Set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks when the whisk is removed from the bowl.

6. Fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out the air from the egg whites.

7. Pour the mixture over the cooled base and then bake for 1 hour 45 minutes. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door and this may cause the cheesecake to cave in.

8. Once the cake is golden-brown, turn off the oven. Open the oven door and leave the cake to sit in the oven for a further hour.

9. Serve once cool in slices.