Unlike a classic baked cheesecake, this creamy, intensely flavored cheesecake relies on gelatine to set it. Serve with fresh strawberries on the side to make a delicious cake that everyone will love.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

• 140 g/5 oz finely ground digestive biscuit crumbs
• 80 g/3 oz butter, melted
• 260 g/9 oz cream cheese
• 140 g/5 oz caster sugar
• 240 ml/8 fl oz double cream
• 450 g/1 lb fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons boiling water
• 1½ tablespoons unflavored gelatin
• 15 whole strawberries to decorate

Method:

Grease a 20-cm/8-inch round springform cake tin. Stir the crumbs into the melted butter, then spread over the bottom of the prepared tin, pressing down to make an even base. Chill for 30 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Set both bowls aside. Put the strawberries in a food processor and blend to a puree, then strain to remove the seed. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla, then gradually beat into the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Put the boiling water in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatine on top, and let it stand to dissolve. Stir well before stirring it into the cream cheese mixture. Fold about one-quarter of this mixture into the whipped cream, then fold in the rest.

Pour over the digestive base and chill for at least 3 hours until set. Turn out the cheesecake and decorate with whole strawberries.