I had just given birth and my body was awash with adrenaline. I didn’t sleep… Why waste time sleeping when I could lovingly gaze at this little bundle of flesh and bones instead?!

My mind and hormones were all over the place, so it didn’t come as a surprise to me that my mind kept going back to making things, edible things at that. While Oma Lemons was cooing over the baby, I took to the kitchen and started experimenting with Low FODMAP-friendly cheesecake: creamy, rich, luxurious deliciousness of a cheesecake. Six months later, as I’m dead tired from …well… motherhood, I curse my 3-week postpartum self for not resting.

Lactose-free cheesecake isn’t cheap, mind. Arla’s lactose-free cream cheese is delicious but £1.30 per pot *eep* but making my own lactose-free yoghurt to then make lactose-free cream cheese feels like a bit of  reach. I say that, for the Northerner’s birthday, that’s exactly what I did.

Ingredients

Crust

• 112 g soft unsalted butter
• 109 g light brown sugar
• 140 g gluten free flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 50 g gluten free oats
• 40 g almonds, roughly chopped
• pinch of salt

Cream cheese filling

• 600g lactose-free cream cheese
• 80g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 160°C and prepare a springform pan by either greasing it or laying it out with baking paper.

Make the crust by mixing all ingredients in a bowl. Press the mixture firmly into the pan to create an even layer on the bottom and half a centimeter up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven or until set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the filling.

Beat the cream cheese in your stand mixer, I use my KitchenAid, fitted with the paddle attachment or use your handheld whisk. Add the sugar, cornstarch, and salt and beat until just combined. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time, and beat just until well combined. Bake for about 45 minutes. You are looking for a slight jiggle. Now, don’t rush and take the cake out. Simply prop open the oven door and let sit in the oven to slowly cool down for 20 min at 100°C. Remove the cheesecake and allow to cool fully before tucking in.