FOOD

The Great British Bake Offf finalist Sandro Farmhouse won the hearts of a nation in 2022 and these scrumptious bakes from his debut cookbook are guaranteed to put a smile on your face

ESPRESSO MARTINI CHEESECAKE

Serves 8 Takes 1 hour 50 minutes, plus overnight chilling

INGREDIENTS For the base

• 1 x 250g pack speculoos biscuits (I use Biscoff)

• 80g/3¼oz unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake

• 2 tbsp instant coffee

• 2 tbsp boiling water

• 600g/1lb 5oz cream cheese

• 30g/1¼oz plain flour

• 200g/7oz light soft brown sugar

• 4 eggs

• 150ml/¼pt sour cream

• 4 tbsp coffee liqueur

To decorate

• 200ml/7fl oz double cream

• Chocolate coffee beans

• 1 tsp cocoa powder

1. Grease and line with baking parchment a 20cm/8in round springform cake tin, then wrap it with 2 layers of thick foil, all the way up to the top edge. Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5.

2. For the base, crush the speculoos biscuits to a fine crumb, then stir through the melted butter. Press into the base of the prepared tin in an even layer and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then set aside while you make the filling. Turn the oven down to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the instant coffee and boiling water, then set aside to cool.

4. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a mixing bowl and hand-held electric whisk), beat the cream cheese, plain flour and brown sugar together until fluffy – around 3-4 minutes.

5. In a measuring jug, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, coffee liqueur and cooled brewed coffee until smooth, then slowly add this into the cream cheese mixture. Pour into the prepared tin.

6. Place the tin in a deep roasting tray and pour a kettle of boiling water into the tray. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the middle is still slightly wobbly.