Line a 1.1 litre (2 pint) loaf tin with a few layers of clingfilm, leaving a generous overlap to drape over each edge. Put the gelatine leaves into a bowl and cover with cold water. Beat the mascarpone, orange zest, vanilla and 25g (1oz) icing sugar until smooth.
Step 2
In a clean bowl, using an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining
icing sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Using a large metal spoon, fold
a spoonful of the egg whites into the mascarpone mix to loosen the mixture, then fold in the remaining whites.
Step 3
Gently heat orange juice until just warm. Lift gelatine out of the water and squeeze out excess. Whisk into the orange juice and leave to cool for a few minutes.
Step 4
Fold the orange juice mixture into the mascarpone mix, then fold in the almonds, cherries, apricots and ginger nuts. Pour into the tin and smooth the surface. Use the overhanging clingfilm to cover the top. Chill for at least 3hr or overnight.
Step 5
Hold one pomegranate half over a bowl and hit firmly with the back of a wooden spoon to dislodge the seeds. Repeat with other half. Strain into a pan, setting the seeds aside. Add the pomegranate or cranberry juice and caster sugar to the pan and simmer gently to dissolve. Mix the cornflour with 2tsp cold water and whisk into the warmed liquid. Heat gently, whisking, until thickened. Leave to cool before stirring in the seeds.
Step 6
Remove the cheesecake from the fridge, unwrap the tin and turn out on to a rectangular serving plate. Remove tin and clingfilm, pour over the sauce, slice and serve immediately (it's best served well chilled).
Make the cheesecake to the end of step 4 but don't chill it. Instead, wrap the entire loaf tin in clingfilm and freeze for up to one month. Defrost the cheesecake in the fridge overnight, then complete recipe.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).