Rum and Raisin Cheesecake
Serves 8 - 10 for dessert

Spectacular to look at, and superb to eat, this light cheesecake is studded with rum-flavoured raisins and surrounded by diagonal stripes of plain and chocolate sponge.

2 eggs
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup plain flour, sifted
1 tsp. cocoa powder, mixed to a paste with 1 tbsp. hot water
½ cup unsalted powder, melted
8 oz. ginger biscuits, crushed
Whipped cream and sifted cocoa powder, to decorate

For the filling:
3 tbsp. water
1 sachet powdered gelatin
1¼ cups double cream
2 tbsp. milk
½ cup raisins
4 tbsp. rum
½ cup icing sugar, sifted
2 cups curd cheese

Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease and line a 11" x 7" in Swiss roll tin. Also grease and line a loose-based (spring-form) cake tin. Cover a wire rack with a sheet of non-stick baking powder. Mix the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Place a saucepan of barely simmering water and whisk until the mixture forms a thick trail. Fold in the sifted flour.

Pour half the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a 1 ½ in plain tube, or use a paper piping bag and cut the end off. Pipe diagonal stripes of the cake mixture across the Swiss roll tin, leaving an equal space between each row.

Stir the cooled cocoa paste into the remaining cake mixture and pipe as before to give rows of alternating colours. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then turn out the sponge on to the paper-topped wire rack. Peel off the lining paper.

Mix the melted butter and crushed biscuits in a bowl. Spread over the bottom of the loose-based cake tin and press down firmly. Cut the sponge in half lengthways and arrange the two strips around the sides of the cake tin. Set the tin aside.

Make the filling. Put the water into a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle over the gelatin. When spongy, place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Recipe courtesy of the Spirits and Liqueurs Cookbook, by Stuart Walton and Norma Miller, published by Lorenz Books.