Strawberry Sponge Finger Cheesecake
Servings 10 slices
Ingredients
- 250 g strawberries
- 0.25 cup lemon juice
- 0.333 cup caster sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 250 g sponge finger biscuits
Cheesecake filling
- 250 g cream cheese at room temperature
- 0.333 cup caster sugar
- 250 g fresh ricotta
- 1 tsp powdered gelatine
- 700 ml thickened cream 350ml for cheesecake, 350ml for serving
To garnish
- fresh strawberries and icing sugar
Instructions
- Line a loaf tin with plastic wrap, ensuring enough overhang to fully cover the sides and top.
- Pulse strawberries and lemon juice with a stick blender until smooth, then strain to remove seeds.
- In a small saucepan, dissolve caster sugar and 1/2 cup of water over low heat. Stir in strawberry puree, remove from heat, and set aside.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar with electric beaters or a stand mixer for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add ricotta and continue beating until smooth.
- Dissolve gelatin: place 2 tablespoons of water in a small heatproof bowl, sprinkle gelatin, and stir. Set this bowl in a larger one filled with boiling water up to halfway. Stir occasionally for 5 minutes until dissolved. Incorporate gelatin into the cream cheese mixture.
- Beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold half of it into the cream cheese mixture. Reserve the other half, covered, in the fridge.
- Spread one-quarter of the cream cheese mixture into the loaf pan. Dip 6 sponge fingers in the strawberry puree until softened, then lay them in two rows over the cream cheese mixture. Layer with more cream cheese filling, followed by another 6 soaked sponge fingers. Repeat until the loaf tin is full, ending with a cream cheese layer. Cover with overhanging plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Unwrap the cheesecake and invert it onto a serving plate. Spread the reserved whipped cream over the cheesecake and garnish with fresh strawberries and a dusting of icing sugar.