Rum and Raisin Cheesecake

For those of you who love the ice-cream, you will be instant fans of this cake. It cooks on low heat in the oven, allowing the flavours to develop perfectly and has a light texture. Serves 12.

75g sultanas
5T golden rum
300g shortcrust biscuits
40g melted butter
2T coconut
1T cinnamon
800g good quality cream cheese at room temperature
200g castor sugar
2T vanilla
3 large eggs

Soak the sultanas in the rum overnight.

Preheat the oven to 150C. Grease a 23cm spring form tin with baking paper.

Crush the biscuits and mix together with the coconut, cinnamon and melted butter. I use a food processor to do this. Line the base of cake tin, pressing the mixture down evenly. Place in the fridge while you make the filling. Drain the sultanas.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix again. Add each egg, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the sultanas and mix in slowly and carefully. Pour into the tin, place on baking tray and bake at 150C for 90 minutes. The cheesecake should be set, and only slightly less so in the centre. Turn off the oven and with the door closed, leave the cake inside until the oven has completely cooled. Use a palette knife to remove the cake from the tin by dipping it in hot water, sliding it around the edge of the cake, and then unmoulding the cake tin.
Serve with vanilla ice-cream.

variation: replace the sultanas with cranberries, and the rum with Baileys.