Strawberry Cheesecake

Serves 10

Ingredients

• 250g digestive biscuits
• 125g butter, melted
• 2 packets gelatine
• 2 lemons, finely grated zest and juice
• 3 medium free-range eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• 350g quark
• 350g mascarpone cheese
• 300ml double cream, lightly whipped

Topping:

• Punnet of strawberries, hulled and cut into halves

Method

Mix the biscuit crumbs and melted butter together and press onto the base of the 24cm AGA spring form tin. Chill.

Place the juice of the 2 lemons into a small saucepan, (about 6 tablespoons are required) and sprinkle over the gelatine. Leave it to soak until ‘spongy’ – the gelatine will absorb the liquid.

Gently melt the gelatine on the Simmering Plate until it is liquid – do not boil. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until thick and creamy, turn into another basin.

In the same mixer bowl whip the cream lightly then add the finely grated lemon rind, quark and mascarpone. Whisk together. Return the egg and sugar mixture to join the quark, lemon zest and mascarpone in the mixer bowl, whisk together until amalgamated then, while the mixer is running, slowly pour in the melted gelatine.

Pour the filling onto the biscuit base. Chill overnight, or a minimum of 4 hours, in the AGA refrigerator until set. Top with strawberry halves.

Notes
For a shiny finish for the strawberries mix in a little apricot glaze or strawberry coulis.