This strawberry cheesecake is the summer dessert dreams are made of. Made with plenty of white chocolate, strawberries and cream.
PREPARATION TIME: Overnight
COOKING TIME: Less than 10 mins
SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tsp sunflower oil
- 200g/7oz digestive biscuits
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 100g/3½oz white chocolate, roughly chopped
- 400g/14oz strawberries, trimmed, plus extra to decorate
- 300g/10½oz full-fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only
- 1 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
METHOD
- Brush the inside of a 20cm/8in springform tin with the sunflower oil, and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.
- Put the digestive biscuits into a sealable freezer bag. Push all the air out and seal the bag. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin, until they are reduced to sand-like crumbs.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and cinnamon. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the tin. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Chop 150g/5oz of the strawberries in half from top to bottom and arrange around the edge of the prepared tin, cut side-up. Chop the remaining berries into small pieces.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, either over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, or in a microwave.
- Beat together the cream cheese, vanilla, lemon zest and honey in a mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped strawberries.
- In another bowl, whisk the double cream until it holds a floppy peak.
- Fold the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture, followed by the double cream. Add more honey if needed.
- Spoon the filling into the tin, being careful not to move the strawberries on the edge. Spread level with a palette knife or the back of a spoon, cover with cling film and chill overnight, until firm.
- Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and put on a serving plate. Slice or quarter extra strawberries to arrange on top.
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BBC Food - Annie Rigg