White Chocolate & Strawberry Cheesecake

White Chocolate & Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 85g unsalted butter (melted)
• 150g digestive biscuits (crushed)
• 150ml double cream
• 250g white chocolate
• 3 gelatine leaves (sheets)
• 300g full-fat cream cheese
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 350g strawberries
• 2 tbsp strawberry jam
• 50g white chocolate (for decoration)

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare the Base

Grease and line a 20cm (8") or 23cm (9") round springform cake tin, then line the base with baking parchment.

Step 2: Make the Biscuit Base

Place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and blitz until finely crushed. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of the cake tin, ensuring it’s evenly distributed. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3: Melt the Chocolate and Cream

In a small pan, combine the double cream and white chocolate. Heat gently, stirring continuously until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

Step 4: Dissolve the Gelatine

Place the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water and leave them to soften for about 5 minutes. Once softened, remove the gelatine and shake off excess water. Add the softened gelatine to the cream and white chocolate mixture, stirring until dissolved.

Step 5: Combine Cream Cheese and Mascarpone

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, icing sugar, and mascarpone cheese until smooth and creamy. Gradually whisk in the chocolate and cream mixture, combining until smooth and fully incorporated.

Step 6: Add Strawberries

Hull and roughly chop 200g of strawberries. Gently stir them into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Leave it to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

Step 7: Make the Strawberry Sauce

To decorate, push 100g of the strawberries through a sieve into a small pan. Add the strawberry jam and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring to make a smooth sauce. Allow the sauce to cool completely.

Step 8: Shave the White Chocolate

Use a potato peeler to shave small curls of the remaining white chocolate for decoration.

Step 9: Decorate and Serve

Once the cheesecake is set, run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Carefully remove the sides and base of the springform tin. Top the cheesecake with fresh strawberries, white chocolate curls, and drizzle the cooled strawberry sauce just before serving.