Christmas Pudding Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the base

• 200g ginger nut biscuits, crushed
• 30g light muscovado sugar
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 110g unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 240g Christmas pudding
• 30ml brandy
• 30ml stout
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 x 280g tubs full-fat cream cheese
• 300ml pot double cream
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 2 vanilla pods, split and seeds scraped

To decorate

• 2 clementines
• light muscovado sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. To make the base, mix the gingernuts and sugar in a large bowl and sprinkle in the flaky salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a wooden spoon to form a biscuit crumb-like mixture. Press into a 20cm round springform cake tin, spreading the mixture in an even layer to the corners. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins until set.
2. Put the Christmas pudding, brandy, stout and orange zest in a blender, and whizz to a purée.
3. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the cream cheese with the double cream, sugar and vanilla seeds, then fold through the purée. Spread the mixture over the biscuit base and leave to chill in the fridge overnight.
4. The next day, peel the clementines, slice into rounds and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle them with sugar, then blowtorch until caramelised and leave to cool. Release the cheesecake from the tin and arrange the clementines on top. Will keep for three days in the fridge.