INGREDIENTS
Yields  10
- 250g shortbread biscuits
- 100g unsalted butter, melted
- 4 gold-strength gelatine sheets (see note)
- 500g cream cheese
- 395g can sweetened condensed milk
- 300ml thickened cream
- 200g white chocolate, melted, cooled
- 2 x 250g punnets strawberries
- 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways, seeds scraped
Directions for the Strawberries & cream cheesecakeÂ
- Step 1Grease and line the base of a 23cm round springform cake pan. Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and process to combine. Press into the base of the pan and chill for 30 minutes.
- Step 2Meanwhile, soak gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Process cream cheese and condensed milk in a food processor until smooth. Heat 100ml cream in a saucepan over low heat. Squeeze gelatine leaves to remove excess water, then add to the warmed cream. Stir off the heat until gelatine dissolves. Stir cream mixture into the cheese mixture. Beat remaining cream with electric beaters to soft peaks. Fold into the cream cheese mixture with the cooled chocolate. Pour over the base, then chill overnight until set.
- Step 3Hull and halve the berries. Place sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, and 1/3 cup (80ml) water in a heavy-based pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly. Add berries and cook for a further 1 minute. Cool completely, then pour over cheesecake just before serving.
