A cheesecake for Champions

As the Olympic games has now come to a close I thought I should show how we celebrated the opening ceremony. Our friends - Lou and Ollie, invited us to their flat on the ninth floor overlooking the Olympic park in Stratford, we went round to watch the ceremony on the TV and from the balcony.

We were standing on the balcony drinking Pimms and the queen drove past (the parachuting was a stunt double incase any of our readers believed that), she waved at us - very exciting.

The fireworks were amazing and the atmosphere reached all the way to the living room and on the balcony... but no celebration is complete without nibbles and Lou and Ollie put on a great spread (plus a special mention to Ollie's Mum's salads - yummy!). I contributed a very simple vanilla cheesecake but gave a patriotic twist with blueberries and strawberries. Based on a recipe from BBC Good Food.

Easy Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 250g digestive biscuits

• 100g butter , melted

• 1 vanilla pod (I used a teaspoon of real vanilla essence instead)

• 600g soft cheese

• 100g icing sugar

• 284ml pot double cream

For the topping:

• Strawberries(hulled and sliced)

• Blueberries

Method:

Butter and line a 23cm loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment. Put 250g digestive biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, then pour over 100g melted butter. Mix thoroughly until the crumbs are completely coated. Tip them into the prepared tin and press firmly down into the base to create an even layer. Chill in the fridge for 1 hr to set firmly.

Remove the vanilla seeds from 1 pod: Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways, leaving the tip intact, so that the two halves are still joined. Holding onto the tip of the pod, scrape out the seeds using the back of a kitchen knife.

Place 600g soft cheese, 100g icing sugar and the vanilla seeds in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Tip in 284ml pot double cream and continue beating until the mixture is completely combined. Now spoon the cream mixture onto the biscuit base, working from the edges inwards and making sure that there are no air bubbles. Smooth the top of the cheesecake down with the back of a dessert spoon or spatula. Leave to set in the fridge overnight.

Bring the cheesecake to room temperature, about 30 mins before serving. To un-mould, place the base on top of a can, then gradually pull the sides of the tin down. Slip the cake onto a serving plate, removing the lining paper and base. Arrange the strawberries and blueberries in a union jack design.