“These individual cheesecakes can be made in advance. Serve with passion fruit as illustrated, alternatively a red fruit coulis or sauce.  Look in your Farmers’ Market for local producers.”

Ingredients
Makes 6

•    6 x 9cm diameter rings, 4 cm high or Aga individual ceramic flan dishes

Base:

•    175g (6 oz) Digestive biscuits, crushed
•    85g (3 oz) butter, melted

Cheesecake:

•    480g (1 lb) curd cheese
•    85g (3 oz) caster sugar
•    200ml carton crème fraîche
•    1 tsp vanilla extract
•    1 tbsp cornflour
•    Grated rind 1 small lemon
•    1 large free range egg, separated

To serve:

•    4 fresh passion fruit


Method

Crush the biscuits by placing in a plastic bag and flattening with a rolling pin until they are fine crumbs. Mix with the melted butter.

Place the 6 rings on a baking tray, lined with a piece of Bake-O-glide and divide the biscuit crumb mixture between them. Press well into the base. Chill whilst making the filling.

Place the curd cheese into a bowl and beat in the sugar, crème fraîche, vanilla essence, cornflour, lemon rind and egg yolk.

Whisk the egg white to the soft peak stage and fold it into the filling. Divide the filling between the 6 rings and smooth the tops.

2 oven Aga: Place the tray on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven with the cold plain shelf on the third runners down. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until just set.

3 and 4 oven Aga: Place the baking tray on the grid shelf on the floor of the baking oven and cook for about 25 minutes, or until just set.

Allow to cool. Then place in the refrigerator and chill. Remove from the baking tray with a fish slice or a palette knife and place in the centre of a plate. Serve with a topping of fresh passion fruit or other fruit of your choice.

Tip: For Valentine’s Day, place a chocolate heart or heart shaped sweet onto the top of each cheesecake.