Simple strawberry cheesecake recipe

You are going to love this delicious cheesecake recipe that pairs perfectly with Ahmad Tea’s English breakfast blend. It’s so easy to make, takes less than ten minutes and looks fantastic on your summer afternoon tea table. I’m so pleased to work with Ahmad Tea for this recipe to come up with the perfect tea pairing for you to enjoy a cup of English Breakfast tea. Do check out my other tea pairing recipe which is an iced earl grey and cucumber sandwich pairing, another great staple for any afternoon tea menu this summer.

For the strawberry cheesecake, you will need:

·        2 tsp olive oil or rapeseed oil

·        200g digestive biscuits

·        100g unsalted butter

·        ½ tsp ground cinnamon

·        100g white chocolate, roughly chopped

·        400g strawberries, sliced, plus extra to decorate

·        300g low fat cream cheese

·        1 tsp vanilla extract

·        1 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup

·        200ml double cream

Method

·        Coat the inside of cake tin with the oil. Ideally you want it to be around 20cm

·        Add all of the digestives into a sealed bag and begin to crush. I

·        Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and cinnamon. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the tin. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

·        Chop 150g  of the strawberries and arrange around the edge of the prepared tin, cut side-up. Chop the remaining strawberries into small pieces. You can also blend them if you prefer not to have the large fruit pieces.

·        Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, either over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.

·        Beat together the cream cheese, vanilla and honey in a mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped strawberries.

·        In another bowl, whisk the double cream until it holds a floppy peak.

·        Fold the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture, followed by the double cream.

·        Spoon the filling into the tin, being careful not to move the strawberries on the edge. Spread level, cover with cling film and chill overnight, until firm.

·        Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and put on a serving plate. Slice or quarter extra strawberries to arrange on top.

Serve with a cup of hot English breakfast tea. Brew the tea in a tea pot and steep for 4-8 minutes. It’s best served with cold milk.

Easy to make and it looks perfect on your table. You can add extra garnishes if you’d like such as fresh mint leaves or larger strawberries on the plate for decoration.