Mid-Atlantic Cheesecake

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 25-cm (10-inch) cake pan with a removable bottom.


260 g gingersnaps, speculoos or bastognes
15 g (1 Tbsp) butter (optional, see instructions below)

In a food processor, reduce cookies to crumbs (alternatively, place cookies in a freezer bag, close it, and run over it with a rolling pin).
Try pressing a handful of crumbs in your hand.
If the crumbs clump together and stay roughly clumped, no need to add butter. If not, mix in some butter until it tests positive in the clump test.
Pour crumbs into the bottom of the pan, and pat with the palms of your hands to form a crust all over the surface.
Reserve in the fridge.

1 kg fromage blanc (I use the 20% fat kind)
200 g sugar, preferably unrefined
In a medium mixing-bowl, whisk together the fromage blanc and sugar.

2 eggs
In another small bowl beat the eggs together, and add them into the fromage blanc mixture. Whisk again until thoroughly combined.

Pour mixture into pan, transfer pan into the oven and bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until set and slightly golden on the outer rim.
Turn out on a rack to cool completely, then chill for at least two hours before serving.

Note - the handy Cook's Thesaurus suggests the following substitutions for fromage blanc: "quark (very similar) OR yogurt cheese OR buttermilk cheese OR blend equal parts cottage cheese and yogurt until smooth OR cream cheese whipped with cream".