Sophie Grigson's strawberry and lemon cheesecake recipe

Celebrity baker Sophie Grigson has created this delicious strawberry and lemon cheesecake, which is perfect for a summer's evening with a large bowl of fresh fruit.

This creamy, pale pink cheesecake studded with strawberries, is lovely on it's own but Sophie Grigson suggests serving it with a fresh strawberry coulis or sticky sauce for the ultimate party piece.

Ingredients

For the base

• 220g (8oz) digestive biscuits
• 110g (4oz) melted unsalted butter
• 3 leaves select leaf gelatine
• 150ml (¼ pint) single cream
• 300g (10½oz) cream cheese
• 125g (4½oz) caster sugar
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp natural lemon extract
• 300g (10½oz) ripe strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 150 ml (¼pint) whipping or double cream, whipped
• 1 egg white

For the sauce

• 250g (9oz) strawberries
• Juice of half a lemon
• Sugar to taste

Method

1. Crush the biscuits finely, then stir in the melted butter. Mix thoroughly, so that all the crumbs are soaked in the butter, then press evenly into the base of a 24cm (9 ½-inch) loose-bottomed flan or tart tin. Leave in the fridge to set, while you make the filling.
2. Half fill a roasting tin with cold water, and submerge the gelatine leaves in it. Leave to soak and soften for 5 mins.
3. Bring the single cream to the boil, then draw off the heat. Immediately take the gelatine leaves out of the water, squeezing out any excess liquid and stir them into the cream one by one. They will dissolve instantly. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
4. Put the cream cheese into a bowl with the sugar, half the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Beat together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the single cream mixture followed by the chopped strawberries.
5. Next, fold in the whipped cream. Whisk the egg white until it forms stiff peaks, then fold into the cheesecake mixture. Now pour the whole lot into the tart tin, smooth down lightly and chill until set.
6. To make the sauce, just put all the ingredients in a processor or liquidiser, and blitz. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Serve with the cheesecake.