White chocolate cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the cheesecake

200g chocolate cookies
100g butter
50g demerara sugar
3 free-range eggs
200g golden caster sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
300g goat's cheese
200g full-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons cornflour
150g white chocolate, broken into pieces

For the raspberry compote

300g raspberries
100g golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

I created this recipe one hot and balmy summer evening when what I wanted was something sweet yet refreshing, and not in the least bit stodgy. Use a mild, rindless goat's cheese and vary the fruit according to the season or indeed your taste.

To make the base for the cheesecake, crush the cookies to the size of breadcrumbs and put in a bowl. Melt the butter and stir into the biscuit crumbs, then add the demerara sugar and mix well. Press the crumb mixture into a 20cm springform tin and allow to cool.

Take a large mixing bowl and whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice, goat's cheese and cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Add the cornflour and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2.

Melt the chocolate carefully in a bain-marie, then slowly pour into the cheese mixture and whisk well. Pour this mixture on to the base and carefully place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for one hour or until golden. The cheesecake should still be slightly soft and have a wobble to the centre when baked. Leaving the cheesecake in the oven too long will cause the cake to crack; overcooking can also cause the filling to go a greeny-grey hue.

Allow the cheesecake to cool thoroughly, then refrigerate in the tin for at least two hours.

To make the compote, place the raspberries, sugar, rosemary leaves, lemon zest and juice into a saucepan on a very low heat. Cook until soft and deep red in colour. Cool to room temperature.

From 'Adventures With Chocolate' by Paul A Young (Kyle Cathie, £18.99)

Sommelier's Choice

The King's Ginger Liqueur

The smooth ginger flavour is balanced by a pleasingly clean, dry finish – a perfect foil for the creaminess of the cheesecake.

Berry Bros & Rudd, £15.95, www.bbr.com; 0800 280 2440