Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s classic baked cheesecake and lemon brownies

Cheesecakes are popular in our house, often requested for birthdays, and I’m happy to oblige.

Classic baked cheesecake. Picture: Armelle Habib

I top my cheesecake with whatever fruit is in season or leave it plain. The lemon on the brownies (scroll down for this recipe) may seem strange but the slight acidity pairs beautifully with the chocolate.

Classic baked cheesecake

750g full-fat cream cheese, softened

400g sour cream

125g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

3 eggs, lightly beaten

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Biscuit base

250g Granita or other plain semi-sweet biscuits

1 tablespoon caster sugar

Pinch of sea salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

125g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 170C. Place the biscuits, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Tip into a bowl and pour over the melted butter. Mix to combine. Press the mixture evenly into the base of a 26cm round cake tin (not springform) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a deep baking tray.

Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and lemon zest until very well combined. You can use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for ease. Gently mix in the egg until just combined. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base, then fill the baking tray with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the cake tin. Carefully place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until just set. The centre will still be wobbly, but will firm up as it cools. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tin and invert the cheesecake onto a board or plate, then flip back onto a serving plate or cake stand. To help release the cheesecake, I usually sit the tin in hot water for 30 seconds. This will melt the butter in the base ever so slightly. Top with your choice of fruit. Serves 8-10

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Brownies with lemon. Picture: Armelle Habib.

Brownies with lemon

100g unsalted butter, softened

100g brown sugar

200g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

150g (1 cup) plain flour

85g (²/³ cup) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of sea salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), roughly chopped

9 very thin lemon slices

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 21cm square cake tin with butter and line with baking paper. Cream butter, sugars and vanilla together, using a wooden spoon or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, until pale and creamy. Sift in flour and cocoa powder, add salt and gently combine. Stir through eggs and, once incorporated, fold in chocolate. Spoon into prepared tin and arrange lemon slices evenly over the surface.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. The edges should be just coming away from the sides while the middle should still be a little soft. Allow to cool briefly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares to serve. Makes 9

From A Year of Simple Family Food by Julia Busuttil Nishimura (Plum, $39.99). Photography: Armelle Habib