This is one of Chelsea Winter’s most popular recipe and I definitely know why. I started making this cheesecake a couple of years ago and my gosh is it easy. No horse hooves (gelatine) needed in this one as the chocolate sets it instead. It is super easy to make and you will have it whipped up and ready to set in under 20 minutes. This is another great Christmas recipe that is sure to please the crowd.

Ingredients

• 350g packet biscuits (I used Superwine but you can also use a chocolate one like Digestives)
• 100g softened (almost melted) butter
• 250g pottle normal cream cheese (not the spreadable kind, and not lite)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 250g good quality white chocolate (I use Whittaker’s White Raspberry)
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 1/2 cups cream, whipped to soft peaks
• 3 punnets ripe strawberries (or raspberries or a mix of any berries you like)

Method

Grease the base of a round 20-22cm diameter springform cake tin or a tart tin.

Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to a fine crumb. Add the butter and process until well combined and smooth. Tip the crumbs into the cake tin and using clean moistened fingers, press the crumb into the base (you can go up the sides if you like). Refrigerate.

Using an electric beater beat the cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1 tbsp of the liquid cream for whipping for a few minutes until fluffy and well mixed. Set aside.

Place the broken-up white chocolate and the 1/3 cup liquid cream in a heatproof bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water though), and heat until just melted, stirring every now and then.

Remove the chocolate from the heat, let cool a few minutes, then add a spoonful at a time to the cream cheese mixture, beating well after each addition. Gently fold in the whipped cream at the end.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the biscuit base and smooth out the top with a moistened spatula. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set, or until needed (it’s fine overnight or for a couple of nights).

Just before you’re ready to tuck in to your cheesecake, sit the tin on a sturdy wide bowl. Carefully release the spring latch on the tin and let the sides of the tin drop down. Gently remove the metal base with a  metal spatula or fish slice. Carefully slide the cheesecake on to a serving platter. Smooth out the sides with a warm knife.

Arrange the fresh whole (or sliced) berries on top.

Dust with icing sugar, slice with a hot knife and serve. If you have freeze dried berries, you could also crumble some up and throw some on top for a bit of zing.

Recipe from Chelsea Winter, visit her website and other great recipes here.