Strawberries and Cream Baked Cheesecake

Ingredients

250 g Digestive biscuits, broken
100 g Butternut biscuits, broken
150 g butter, melted
100 g strawberries, halved
1 Tbs caster sugar
750 g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
3/4 cup (165 g) caster sugar, extra
3 eggs
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 Tbs plain flour
Pink liquid food colouring
Thickened cream, whipped, to serve
Strawberries, extra, halved, to serve
Strawberries & cream chocolate balls, to serve

Method

Grease a 20 cm (base measurement) round springform pan and line the base and side with baking paper. Place the combined biscuits in a food processor. Process until finely crushed. Add butter and process until well combined. Spoon into prepared pan. Use a straight-sided glass to spread and press the biscuit mixture over the base and side of the pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Meanwhile, combine the strawberry and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until strawberry collapses and syrup reduces by half. Set aside to cool. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Discard the solids.

Preheat oven to 150 C. Place the cream cheese, sour cream and extra sugar in a clean food processor and process until smooth. Add the eggs, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla and process until combined. Add the flour and process until combined. Divide the mixture into 2 portions. Reserve 1 portion. Add the strawberry mixture and 2-3 drops of pink food colouring to the remaining portion. Stir to combine.

Place spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture over the biscuit base in the pan, alternating with the reserved plain portion. Use a round-bladed knife to gently marble.

Place the cheesecake on a baking tray. Bake for 1 hour or until just set. Turn oven off. Leave the cheesecake in the oven, with the door ajar, for 2 hours to cool. Place in the fridge to chill.

Transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate. Top with whipped cream, extra strawberry and chocolate balls.

Credits: Coles

Photo Credits: Coles