Vanilla In London Cheesecake

Our answer

Nigella's London Cheesecake (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS is a vanilla-flavoured baked cheesecake with a sour cream topping. The recipe includes 1½ tablespoons of vanilla extract, which is correct. The vanilla adds flavour but also balances the acidity of the cream cheese and the lemon juice, plus vanilla can also make baked goods taste slightly sweeter.

The 1½ tablespoons of vanilla extract is equivalent to 4½ teaspoons (or 22.5ml) and this is enough to give the cheesecake a good vanilla flavour. It should also be vanilla extract, which is made from vanilla beans, and not vanilla essence/flavouring, which is a synthetic flavouring and can be quite harsh if used in large quantities. You could reduce the vanilla slightly to suit your own taste, but we would suggest not taking the amount below 1 tablespoon.