Cheesecake can seem intimidating if you have never made one before, but with the right ingredients and a simple recipe, it bakes up beautifully each time. Jessica Holmes, a cook and founder of Sweetest Menu, has shared that the best way to make cheesecake is to make sure you add a dollop of sour cream to the mixing bowl.

She said: “I have so many great cheesecake memories from the States but THIS baked sour cream cheesecake is an easy one to make at home. And it tastes divine – just like one from a fancy restaurant. It has a thick and creamy texture, with just a hint of tang from the fresh lemon juice and richness from the sour cream.”

It may sound absolutely bizarre, but sour cream is packed with moisture, fat and acidity, which helps break down the proteins in a cheesecake as it cooks.

This helps create a smoother batter that spreads more evenly in the pan as it bakes, which greatly reduces the chance of it cracking out in the oven.

Cheesecakes can easily dry out or have overbaked edges when you first make them, but sour cream helps distribute heat more evenly, so there is less chance of a cooking disaster.

How to make a cheesecake with sour cream

Ingredients

• 300g of digestive biscuits
• 115g of unsalted butter
• 500g of full-fat cream cheese
• 100g of caster sugar
• Three large eggs
• Two tablespoons of lemon juice
• One teaspoon of vanilla extract
• One teaspoon of cornflour
• 60ml of sour cream

You will also need fresh berries and 60ml extra sour cream to decorate the cheesecake.

Method

To begin, preheat the oven to 180C standard or 160C for a fan oven. Prepare a springform pan by lining it with baking paper.

Add the digestive biscuits to a food processor and blitz until they are crushed into crumbs, then pour into a mixing bowl.

Melt the butter in the microwave, add it to the mixing bowl and stir until you have a consistency that resembles wet sand.

Pour the digestive biscuit mixture into the pan, and use the back of a spoon to spread it into an even layer. Then, put the pan into the fridge to chill.

Meanwhile, add the cream, cheese to a mixing bowl and beat until you have a creamy mixture. Then add the caster sugar and mix again.

Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl one at a time, then mix. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract, then mix. Finally, add the sour cream and cornflour and mix one last time until you have a smooth cheesecake filling.

Take the pan out of the fridge and pour over the cheesecake filling. Then place in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

You need to cook the cheesecake so it is steady and does not wobble once you take it out of the pan. However, be careful not to overbake it as it will continue to cook as it cools down.

Once cooked, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for at least one hour.

Next, remove the cheesecake from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Once it has cooled down, place it in the fridge for at least three to four hours to chill, but it is best left overnight.

When the time is up, you will have a firm, creamy and incredibly tasty cheesecake. Serve it with extra sour cream and any fresh berries of your choice.