Strawberry Cheesecake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 160C/320F (standard) or 140C/295F (fan/convection).

Step 2

Get a 20cm/8" springform cake tin. Turn the base UPSIDE DOWN (Note 4), butter lightly and place a square piece of parchment/baking paper on the base. Then clip into the springform pan - excess paper will stick out, see photos in post and video.

Step 3

Butter and line the side of the pan.

Step 4

Break up biscuits roughly by hand and place in a food processor.

Step 5

Blitz until fine crumbs (Note 5). Add butter, briefly blitz until dispersed and it resembles wet sand.

Step 6

Pour into the prepared cake tin. Use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and up the walls.

Step 7

Use something with a flat base and vertical edges (I used a measuring cup) to press the crumbs up the wall almost to the top of the sides, and flatten the base.

Step 8

Use a mixer or beater to beat the cream cheese until just smooth, no longer than 20 seconds on speed 4. (You do not want to aerate cheesecake filling as it causes cracks when it bakes)

Step 9

Add flour, beat for 5 seconds on speed 4 until just incorporated.

Step 10

Add vanilla, sour cream, sugar and lemon zest. Beat until just combined (10 sec max, speed 5).

Step 11

Add eggs one at a time, beat in between until just combined (5 sec each), and after the last one, beat just until the egg is fully incorporated.

Step 12

Pour into prepared crust.

Step 13

Bake for 55 minutes. The top should be a very light golden brown, not cracked, and near perfectly flat. It should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan.

Step 14

Cool the cake in the oven with the door open 20 cm / 8" (Note 6), then refrigerate for 4 hours+ in the pan.

Step 15

Remove sides. Use overhang paper to slide cheesecake off the cake pan. Then slide the cheesecake off the paper.

Step 16

Place chopped strawberries, vanilla, sugar and lemon juices in a saucepan. Stir then bring to simmer over medium heat.

Step 17

Simmer for 10 minutes until strawberries breakdown.

Step 18

Mix cornflour with water, then add into saucepan and stir.

Step 19

Add halved strawberries and cook for 1 minute to soften.

Step 20

Sauce should be syrupy - remove from stove and cool. Will thicken as it cools.

Step 21

Once cool, stirl. Adjust thickness to make it the right "oozing" consistency (see video, Note 7) with a tiny touch of water (be careful!).

Step 22

Spoon onto cheesecake so it's covered with a single layer of strawberries. Flip strawberry halves so they are facedown. Refrigerate 2 hours+.

Step 23

Slice and serve with remaining Strawberry Sauce!