No bake cheesecake

Step 1

Blitz crumb ingredients. Press into 20cm/8" inverted base lined springform. Bloom gelatine in the water, re-melt. Whip cream. In separate bowl whip cream cheese + sugar, then vanilla, lemon, salt and gelatine. Fold in 1/4 cream, then remaining cream. Fill crust, fridge 6 hours.

Step 2

Invert & line - Turn the base of a 20cm/8" springform pan UPSIDE DOWN (Note 6). Grease with butter very lightly. Place a square piece of parchment/baking paper on the base. Then clip into the springform pan – excess paper will stick out.

Step 3

Line sides - Butter and line the side of the pan.

Step 4

Blitz - Break up biscuits roughly by hand and place in a food processor. Blitz until it becomes fine crumbs (~30 seconds).

Step 5

Add butter - Add the butter, cinnamon and salt. Blitz until it resembles wet sand (~ 10 second). It should stay together when pinched between your fingers.

Step 6

Press - Pour into the prepared cake tin. Use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and up the walls. Then flatten and press the base and walls using something with a flat base and vertical edges (I used a measuring cup). Aim for the wall to be ~9mm (0.35") from the top of the rim (Note 7). Refrigerate crust until required.

Step 7

Bloom gelatine - Put the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine across the surface (don't dump it in one place. Whisk until dissolved then set aside for 3 minute or until it firms up like rubber.

Step 8

Melt - Microwave for 15 seconds on high or until it melts (do not let it boil). Cool for 5 minutes while you make the filling (make sure it's still liquid when you use it).

Step 9

Whip cream - Put the cream in a bowl and whip it with an electric beater on high for 2 minutes until firm peaks form (ie not softly whipped, we want good aeration!).

Step 10

Whip cream cheese - Put the cream cheese and sugar in a separate large bowl. Using the same beater (no need to clean), beat on high for 1 minute just until it's soft and smooth. Add the vanilla, lemon and melted gelatine, then beat for 10 seconds on high to mix it through thoroughly. Don't beat excessively as we don't want too many air bubbles in the cheesecake (unsightly).

Step 11

Fold - Add about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Gently fold through using a rubber spatula or large spoon (don't mix aggressively, you'll knock all the air out of the cream!). Then fold in the rest of the cream.

Step 12

Refrigerate - Pour into the crust, smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 6 hours+ to set.

Step 13

Remove sides of the cake pan. Use then overhang paper to slide cheesecake off the cake pan base onto a serving platter. Then slide the cheesecake off the paper.

Step 14

Decorate the top with whipped cream and strawberries, if desired (or just dollop whipped cream on the plate). Cut into slices and serve!