Simple Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

Nothing spells summer like strawberries and when you want a great dessert that is quick and easy to make for a barbeque or party, a strawberry cheesecake is the perfect answer. The rich, creamy filling on the biscuit base is lifted by the lively flavour of the juicy fruit and the bright red of the strawberries looks very festive against the cream of the filling.

This is an easy no-cook recipe and just needs to set overnight in the fridge, so is a great dessert to make in advance and just bring out all ready to serve.

Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

250g / 8oz digestive biscuits
100g / 3oz melted butter
600g / 1 ¼ lb cream cheese
100g / 3 oz icing sugar
275 ml / 1 ¼ cups double cream
1 vanilla pod
400g / 1lb strawberries
25g / 1oz icing sugar

Grease and line a 23cm / 9inch loose bottomed cake tin with baking paper.

Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs and then mix in the melted butter thoroughly. Make sure that all the crumbs are well coated otherwise the base won’t stay together. Press the crumbs well into the base of the tin in an even layer, then chill in the fridge for one hour.

Put the cream cheese and sugar in to a bowl. Scrape the vanilla seeds out of the pod and add, then beat with an electric beater until it is really smooth. Add the cream and beat some more until the mixture is well combined. Spoon the filling onto the biscuit base and smooth the top. Leave in the fridge overnight to set firmly.

Half an hour before you want to serve the cheesecake, remove from the fridge to come to room temperature. Puree half of the strawberries with the extra icing sugar and prepare the rest by slicing or halving them.

Un-mould the cheesecake by slipping a hot knife around the edge, then loosening the sides and slipping off the ring. Slide the cheesecake onto a serving plate, then pile the strawberries on top and drizzle the puree over them.

If you need the cheesecake to set more quickly or more firmly, then you can use 2 sheets of gelatine dissolved in water or lemon juice and mix it into the cream filling. Then the cheesecake should set in just a few hours.

Feel a craving for a luscious dessert and can’t wait for this cheesecake to set? Try the dessert selection at Tonic restaurant in Nottingham.