New York Style Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 litre cow’s milk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8-10 digestive biscuits
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 lemon
• ¾ cup fresh cream
• 3 tablespoons refined flour (maida)
• Mixed fruit jam as required
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method

1. Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan, stirring continuously, till it comes to a gentle boil. Add lemon juice, little by little, and mix well till the milk curdles.
2. Switch the heat off and strain the mixture through a fine muslin cloth and reserve the whey. Gather the edges of the cloth and put into a bowl of chilled water to avoid the cheese from becoming tough.  
3. Squeeze lightly to drain excess water taking care that all the water is drained away.   Transfer the cheese into a grinder jar, add salt and grind. Add 3 tablespoons whey and grind to fine paste. This is cream cheese.
4. Put the digestive biscuits in a zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin. You can also put the biscuits in a grinder jar and grind. Transfer into a bowl, add melted butter and mix well. The mixture will now resemble breadcrumbs.
5. Transfer this mixture into a loose bottom cake tin and press well taking care that there is no gap. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 180º C.
7. Transfer the cream cheese into a bowl, add powdered sugar and mix well till the sugar dissolves completely.
8. Break eggs, one by one, into the bowl and mix well after each addition. Add vanilla essence and grate the zest of the lemon into the bowl and mix well.
9. Cut the lemon and squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into the mixture and mix well.
10. Add fresh cream and refined flour and whisk well so that there are no lumps.
11. Bring the cake tin out of the refrigerator and keep it on a tray. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit layer, spread evenly.    
12. Pour some water in a baking tray. Break the bubbles that form on the surface with a fork. Cover the cake tin with a steel plate. Keep the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.
13. Bring the cake tin out of the oven and allow to cool down to room temperature.  Loosen the edges with the pointed end of a knife. Gently remove the top part of the cake tin. 
14. Keep the cheesecake on a serving plate, drizzle some mixed fruit jam in the centre and spread it evenly. Decorate with mint leaves, cut into wedges, place each wedge on a serving plate and serve.