Tastiest Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe Ever!

I was given this recipe a few years ago so unfortunately can’t credit it to anyone but it's absolutely DELICIOUS, and well worth all the washing up (please don’t let that put you off!)



Serves 8


For the Base


220g (8oz) digestive biscuits
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, melted





For the Filling


3 leaves gelatine
150ml (5 fl oz) single cream
300g (10½ oz) cream cheese
125g (4½ oz) caster sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes (or lemons, or one of each)
300g (10½ oz) ripe strawberries, hulled & chopped (or roughly whizzed in food processor)
150 ml (5 fl oz) whipped cream
1 egg white


Method

• Crush the biscuits finely (a food processor’s great for this) and stir in the melted butter. Mix together so crumbs are soaked in butter then press it into a loose-bottomed flan tin. (I made this last week and made the mistake of putting it into a pretty, china flan dish and it stuck solid, despite greasing it well with butter).
  
  
• Put some cold water in a dish and place the gelatine leaves into it, submerging them completely. Leave them to soak and soften for 5 minutes or so.
• Bring the single cream to the boil and remove from the heat. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine and add one by one to the warm cream. They dissolve straight away. Leave to cool while you’re preparing the topping.
  
• 
  
  Put the cream cheese into a bowl with the sugar, half the lime (or lemon) zest and all the juice. Beat together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the cream & gelatine mixture and then the chopped strawberries, then fold in the whipped cream. Whisk the egg white in a scrupulously clean bowl until it forms stiff peaks (you should be able to hold the bowl above your head without getting covered!). Fold the egg white into the cheesecake mixture. Poor the whole lot into the tart tin and smooth down. Chill until set and decorate with the remaining zest.
  

Tips: I’ve made this a few times and each time tell myself to prepare all the ingredients and have them ready in bowls, just like the TV chefs, but never do!

When I made the cheesecake in the china flan dish there was enough topping for it, and five separate ramekins! I know make it in a loose bottomed, deep cake tin!