Preheat the oven to 175 C/350 F Fan Forced and liberally grease a 23cm/9" spring form pan on the base and sides. Line the base with quality baking paper if you wish to.
Mix all ingredients together till blended. Press mixture firmly into the base of the spring form pan, using the bottom of a glass to press it down.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until base browns slightly. Allow to cool and wrap 2-3 pieces of aluminium foil up from underneath the pan to the sides, to ensure that no water can get in when the pan is placed in water.
Cheesecake Filling Method
Turn oven temperature down to 150 C/300 F Fan Forced.
Beat cream cheese till soft and creamy.Add vanilla extract, lemon juice and rind, sweetener, sour cream and cream, Beat till blended and creamy.
Add the eggs and beat until blended, taking care not to over beat.
Pour the filling over the base in the spring form pan, and smooth the top. Press down any lumps that are visible on the surface. Cover the top of the cheesecake pan with a piece of aluminium foil and press it down around the pan so it stays in place. Place the pan in a slightly larger baking dish and top it up with boiling water so that it comes about 1/2 way up the sides of the pan.
Bake in the middle of the oven at 150 C/300 C for approximately 70 minutes, carefully removing the aluminium foil covering the top, after 35 minutes. The cheesecake will be firmer around the edges and still jiggly in the centre. *For instructions on baking in a regular oven see recipe notes below.
Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for a further 2 hours, as it will continue to cook. Leave the oven door ajar for a creamier cheesecake or keep the oven door shut for a firmer cheesecake. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, making sure you remove the foil from around the base on the sink, as water may leach out of it. Run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to make it easy to remove from the spring based pan when serving. Refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours before serving.
To Serve
Serve simply topped with fresh berries of choice and a dollop of freshly whipped cream. It's also tastes delicious topped with passion fruit.
To make Berry Coulis to pour on top of the cheesecake- heat 2 cups of fresh or frozen berries of choice, with a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of Stevia Erythritol blend in a small saucepan on the stove top till soft. Turn the temperature up slightly and continue cooking until the juice reduces slightly and the liquid thickens, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't burn. Mash the berries with a fork for a more textured coulis or blitz the berries until smooth in a blender/processor till smooth. You can sieve the coulis to remove seeds, or serve as it is. Pour over the cheesecake to serve and top with fresh whipped cream.
Variations
Cheesecake Base Variations-Vary the type of nuts used in the base. Use a mix of ground nuts such as almonds and pecans or walnuts. Try switching out the almond meal for pecans or walnuts. You could also switch 1/4 cup of finely chopped pecans or walnuts for 1/4 cup of almond meal in the base for a more textured base.
Cinnamon Cheesecake-Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the base and sprinkle cinnamon on top of the cheesecake prior to serving.
Berry Cheesecake-Add 1/2 cup of raspberries or blueberries, fresh or frozen to the recipe, folding through very gently after the filling has been made to prevent staining or poking them in to the cheesecake. Cook as per instructions.
Notes
Don't over beat the filling as you don't want to aerate it too much, especially once the eggs have been added. Instructions for regular baking without a bain marie. Cover the top of the cheesecake with aluminium foil, to prevent browning, and bake the cheesecake for 10 minutes at 160 C/320 F Fan Forced. Turn the temperature down to 140 C/285 F and bake for a further 60-70 minutes. Make sure you remove the aluminium foil covering the top after 35 minutes.
Follow all other instructions as per the recipe above. Note that the cheesecake will be at risk to crack using this method but there will be no compromise on flavor.