Strawberry and Lemon Cheesecake

17/11/2023

I will be delighted to provide you with a recipe for a delicious strawberry and lemon cheesecake. This cake has a combination of freshness and sweetness that perfectly complements each other. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

For the base:

200 g of digestive biscuits
100 g of melted butter

For the cream:

500 g of cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
120 g of sugar
250 ml of whipping cream
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
10 g of sheet gelatin (or fish glue)

For the strawberry coulis:

250 g of fresh strawberries
50 g of sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
5 g of sheet gelatin (optional)

Preparation

Prepare the cheesecake base: Finely grind the digestive biscuits. Mix the ground biscuits with the melted butter until you have a homogeneous mixture. Line the bottom of a springform pan (22-24 cm in diameter) with parchment paper and pour the biscuit and butter mixture in, pressing down well to form a compact base. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Make the lemon cream: Soak the sheet gelatin in cold water for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whip the cream cheese with the sugar until you have a smooth and lump-free mixture. Add the grated lemon zest and juice, mixing well.
In a saucepan, heat some of the cream (do not boil) and dissolve the well-squeezed gelatin in it. Then, incorporate this dissolved gelatin into the cheese and sugar mixture. Whip the rest of the cream and gently fold it into the cream, being careful not to deflate it.
Pour the cream over the cooled biscuit base and smooth the surface. Let the cheesecake rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, better if overnight.
Prepare the strawberry coulis: Wash and chop the strawberries into small pieces, put them in a saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat until the strawberries have melted and the sugar has dissolved. If you want a thicker coulis, you can add the sheet gelatin (previously soaked in water and squeezed) and dissolve it in the hot mixture.
Let the coulis cool and then pour it over the firm cheesecake layer. Put it back in the fridge for at least one hour before serving.
Serve your cheesecake: Once the strawberry coulis has set, you can gently remove the springform pan sides, place the cheesecake on a serving plate, and decorate as you wish, perhaps with additional fresh strawberries or lemon slices.

Fun fact

The cheesecake is a cake of Anglo-Saxon origin but also very much appreciated in Italy. The strawberry and lemon variant is a perfect fusion of sweetness and acidity, with the lemon adding that touch of freshness ideal for the warmer seasons. You can experiment with different types of biscuits for the base to find your favorite combination.