Chilled Strawberry Cheesecake

I had an abundance of strawberries yesterday after I got given some by my mum. So I decided to use them to make this chilled strawberry cheesecake :)

Strawberries are low in calories and an excellent source of Vitamin C. This chilled cheesecake is very refreshing with a layer of strawberry jelly over the fruits.

Ingredients:
Base:
170g biscuit crumbs
60g unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
250g light cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
60g caster sugar (sifted)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon strawberry essence (optional)
200g strawberry purée (strained)
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
3 tablespoons boiling water
200ml thickened cream + 1 tablespoon icing sugar
Vertically sliced strawberries (trimmed to an even size/height to decorate around cake edge)

Topping:
Horizontally sliced strawberries
50g strawberry jelly powder
5g gelatin powder
250ml boiling water

Decoration:
100ml thickened cream
1-2 tablespoons icing sugar, extra
5 small strawberries, halved

Method:

1. Line base of 20cm/8" spring form cake pan with cling wrap or baking paper. Toss biscuit crumbs into melted butter and press firmly onto base of cake pan. Chill in the fridge for use later- approx. 30 minutes.
2. Whip thickened cream with 1 tablespoon icing sugar till about 70% stiff or mousse state. Cover and keep chilled.
3. Dissolve gelatine powder in 3 tablespoons boiling water. Keep warm but not hot for use later.
4. Cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and strawberry essence together till smooth and creamy.
5. Add the warm gelatine solution to strawberry purée and mix well.
6. Add strawberry mixture into cheese mixture and combine till well mixed. Fold in the whipped cream.
7. Place vertically sliced strawberry pieces evenly around cake tin (strawberry tip should be facing up).
8. Pour cheese mixture onto cake base and chill for about 60 minutes or till slightly firm. Top it with a layer of horizontally sliced strawberry pieces. Cover and chill for at least two hours.
9. Dissolve 50g strawberry jelly powder and 10g gelatine powder with 250ml boiling water. Set aside to cool for approx. 15 minutes. When cooled, pour jelly gently onto chilled cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours. 
10. Use an electric beater to beat cream and icing sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. 
11. Place the cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake. Arrange some strawberries around the cake between the cream rosettes. Cut the cake into wedges to serve.

Notes & Tips

You will need approx. 3 punnets of strawberries for this recipe
Best to chill the cheesecake overnight to allow it to set better