Liam Charles’ recipe for Spider-Man cheesecake

Spider-Man is one of my favourite superheroes. To celebrate the release of the latest film, Spider-Man: Far From Home, I’ve created the spidey slicer.

Think New York-style cheesecake in the colour scheme of Spider-Man’s cool new suit – with some marshmallow webbing thrown in for good measure.

Prep 30 min
Chill 4 hr+
Cook 55 min
Serves 14

300g Oreos
100g unsalted butter, melted

For the filling
900g full-fat cream cheese
200g golden caster sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
100ml soured cream
100ml buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50ml red food colouring
4 large eggs

For the webbing
100g white marshmallows

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and line a 20cm x 30cm rectangular tin with baking paper. Smash up the biscuits using a food processor or by double bagging sandwich bags and crushing the biscuits with a rolling pin.

In a bowl, mix the melted butter with the biscuits, press into the base of the tin and bake for 12 minutes. Set aside while you crack on with the filling; drop the oven temperature to 150C (130C fan)/300F/gas 2.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and caster sugar with an electric or stand mixer until smooth. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a separate bowl, add the cream, buttermilk, vanilla extract and red food colouring, then stir until smooth.

Add the red mixture to the cream cheese and mix on a low speed, adding the eggs one by one. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and bake for 40 minutes – the cheesecake should have a wobble in the middle when it’s ready.

Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in there to cool for one hour. Pull the door ajar and leave for a further hour, then remove from the oven and leave to reach room temperature. Transfer to the fridge to chill for at least two hours.

Melt the marshmallows in a heatproof bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring occasionally. Take the cheesecake out of the fridge and carefully remove it from the tray.

When the marshmallow has cooled, it’s time to create the webbing. Put two fingers together, dip them in the cooled, melted marshmallow, remove them from the bowl, stretch them apart and wrap the “webbing” around the cheesecake. Slice into squares and serve.