Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

Today I'm going to share with you my family favorite Cheese Cake recipe.


As usual it is a recipes that I derived at after trying various different versions of on line recipes. I wont' say it's super easy, actually it's easy but just a bit time consuming.

If you do not like the strawberry topping you could use just the Cheese cake which also has loads of strawberries inside.

The most important success to good cheese cake is the quality of cheese you use. If you are into low fat or special diet I'm not sure this recipe might work.

I have always used good quality Cheese, that is creamy and full fat. As I said in one of my previous post, I'd rather eat one slice of something good than a whole of some thing substitute. This does not mean I don't eat healthy.
An important tip when making cheese cake to remember is - do not over beat your batter. Over beating you batter means to have crack on the surface of the cake. 

Ingredients
Makes one 9 inch spring form cake

Biscuit Base
200 grams digestive biscuits
75 grams Butter
1 tbsp sugar (optional)

Filling
350 grams Mascapone Cheese
300 grans Cream Cheese
150 grams Sour Cream
150 ml Whipping Cream
4 large Eggs
250 grams white granulated sugar
1 tsp Lemon juice (optional)
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
2 tbsp Corn flour
150 grams strawberries

Strawberry topping
300 grams strawberries
100 grams sugar
1 tbsp gelatine
3 tbsp water

Note : The above ingredients do not match with the picture because
I'm making more than one pan of Cheese Cake here
Actually one 9" spring pan + two others (to gift friends who love my cheese cake)

Method:
Have all your ingredients ready at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 160 C / 325 F

Biscuit Base
Crush the digestive biscuits in a food processor or just place in a plastic bag and bash with the rolling pin.
Melt the butter,

If using sugar add the sugar first and mix.
Next add the butter and mix well.

 Pour into you baking pan, use the back of your spoon to press it into the base of the tin.

 See how smooth the biscuit base looks.

Wrap the bottom of your spring form pan in aluminum so no water will get into it when baking in a water bath.
Place your biscuit base into the fridge while you make the filling.

Strawberries for the filling
For frozen - Thaw the strawberries first. Then proceed... 

For fresh strawberries - Clean, wash and drain. Add the sugar and mix well.
Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over the strawberries.

Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over the strawberries.

Cover with a lid and let cool.
Once cooled, drain and set a side. Do not discard the juice.

Make the filling.
In a bowl of an electric mixer or use a whisk - Place both the cream cheeses, sour cream, whipping cream.
Give it a whisk until smooth.

Add sugar.

 Add Eggs - all at once.

 Add the cornflour, lemon juice and zest (if using) and vanilla.
Give it one more mix.
You can add the drained strawberry juice at this time or see below for alternative method.
Note: If you are not going to make the strawberry topping I suggest you mix the juice in now.

 Add one tbsp flour into the strawberries, toss the strawberries and immediately add into your batter.

 Stir well but not too much.

Pour into your cake pan. 

I prefer to drizzle the strawberry juice over like so. But this does not give you a smooth surface. See my baked cheese cake below. I like this because when the strawberry topping sets it sets into these lines giving a nice effect when sliced.
.

Place in a preheated oven rack. Pour one cup of boiling water on the outside of the pan into the rack. This will ensure your cake is moist and fluffy. This is called a water bath.
Bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes turn the oven off and leave the cheese cake in the oven to cool.

When baked you will see the cake is set but still soft. It will first rise above the pan and the sink down like so. This is normal.
Let cool in the fridge for about an hour or two before you make the topping.

Make the topping.
Place the strawberries in a pan on low heat. Add the sugar. Heat until the sugar is melted and strawberries give out some juice but do not over cook. Just a minute or two.

 Dissolve one tbsp of gelatin in 3 tbsp of water.

Place in the microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds until dissolved.

Add to the strawberries 

Let cool for five minutes stirring constantly but do not let it set.
Pour on to your cooled cheese cake, While still warm move the strawberries slices around to arrange them. You could place them in lines of slices or just like I did  random.
Place in the fridge over night to let set. 

 Once cooled the strawberry topping will set like so.

Run a knife thru the edges of the cake before you release the sides of the pan.

That's a slice of Cheese Cake I call perfect. 

Here's a top view of the strawberry topping.

I do hope you try this cake. It's absolutely delicious.
Don't forget to let me know if you try it.
Until next time..
Thanks for stopping by.