Christmas Cheesecake Slab (Printable)

Spiced cream cheese on digestive biscuit crust, crowned with whipped cream and dried fruits for festive gatherings.

# Ingredient list:

→ Biscuit Base

01 - 2.5 cups digestive biscuit crumbs
02 - 8.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

03 - 21 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
04 - 0.75 cup granulated sugar
05 - 0.625 cup sour cream
06 - 3 large eggs
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - 0.875 cup mixed dried fruits (cranberries, apricots, cherries), chopped
10 - 2 teaspoons mixed spice (1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger)

→ Topping

11 - 0.875 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus extra for garnish

# How-to:

01 - Preheat oven to 320°F. Line an 8 x 12 inch rectangular baking tray with parchment paper, allowing paper to overhang edges for convenient removal.
02 - Process digestive biscuits in food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer to mixing bowl and fold in melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand.
03 - Press biscuit mixture firmly and evenly across tray base. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
04 - Beat room temperature cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
05 - Gradually add granulated sugar to cream cheese and beat until fully combined. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, beating until glossy and homogeneous.
06 - Gently fold chopped dried fruits and mixed spice into batter, distributing evenly throughout mixture.
07 - Pour batter over chilled biscuit base and smooth surface. Tap tray gently on counter to release trapped air bubbles.
08 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until edges set and center retains slight wobble. If browning excessively, loosely cover with foil.
09 - Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to rest inside for 1 hour. Remove and cool to room temperature.
10 - Refrigerate cheesecake for minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight, until completely set.
11 - Whisk heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
12 - Cut cheesecake into squares. Top each square with whipped cream and light dusting of powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It serves a table full of people without the stress of slicing a delicate round cheesecake into perfect wedges.
  • The spiced filling tastes like Christmas in a bite, with tangy fruit pockets that surprise you mid-chew.
  • You can make it the night before and let the fridge do the heavy lifting while you sleep.
  • Every square gets its own swirl of soft cream and a snowfall of icing sugar that makes guests reach for seconds.
02 -
  • Cold cream cheese will never blend smoothly no matter how long you beat it, so leave it out for at least an hour before you start.
  • Tapping the tray to release air bubbles isn't just fussy chef theater, it genuinely prevents pockmarks and uneven texture in the finished slab.
  • Cooling the cheesecake inside the turned-off oven stops it from shocking and cracking, a lesson I learned after ruining two batches in a row.
03 -
  • Wipe your knife clean with a hot damp cloth between every cut to get those Instagram-worthy sharp edges.
  • If your biscuit base feels crumbly when you press it, add an extra tablespoon of melted butter to help it hold together.
  • Let the cheesecake come to cool room temperature before chilling or condensation will pool on the surface and ruin your smooth finish.
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