Gluten-free baked vanilla cheesecake

• Serves 12
• 10 mins to prepare and 1 hr to cook, 2 hrs 00 mins to cool
• 264 calories/serving
• Gluten-free

Ingredients

For the base

• sunflower oil, to grease
• 75g (3oz) almonds
• 110g (3 3/4oz) gluten-free oat cakes
• 100g (3 1/2oz) dried pitted dates
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• pinch of sea salt

For the filling

• 800g (1 1/2lb) low-fat cream cheese
• 160g (5 1/2 oz) caster sugar
• 200ml (1/3 pint) sour cream
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• fresh berries to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3.
2. Use the sunflower oil to grease the side of a 20cm (8in) high-sided springform tin.
3. In a food processor, blitz the almonds, oat cakes, dates, melted butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is fine and sticks together when squeezed between your fingers.
4. Make a level, even, and smooth base by pressing firmly into the tin.
5. Cream together the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla extract in a large mixing basin.
6. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well after each addition to fully mix.
7. Smooth out the mixture on top of the base.
8. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the top is slightly browned and just set with a little wobbling in the middle, in the center of the oven.
9. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving when it has cooled.
10. Remove the cheesecake from the tin, place it onto a dish, and top with fresh berries if desired.