Posted this picture on my facebook on mummy's birthday. Really pleased with my first try result and everyone's feedback was rather good. I don't really eat cheesecake but decided to do this because mummy like strawberry and it seems something healthier - no cream or too much sugar, butter... My nephew like it alot so I'm actually making another one for his birthday and it is in the fridge right now.
For my first try, I bought strawberry jelly powder at Phoon Huat for $1 and thought is was reasonably priced. But the second try is within such a short span of time, I didn't want to visit Phoon Huat again and decided to hunt down
Tortally jelly powder instead. What I bought is red but raspberry jelly powder. Will review it again after we have the cake tml but it only cost my $0.55!!! I also decided to do a double portion because the cake turn out to be a little too flat for the first try. I'm using 8" square tray. Below recipe adapted from Happy Home Baking and Bing Cooks is single portion.
Many recipes online calls for food processor (for biscuit crumbs) and electric mixer but I have neither. I did all the steps manually :) was initially worried about the whisking part but the cream cheese still turns out pretty well. So not to worry if you do not have these electronic appliances.
Ingredients:
base:110g digestive biscuits(about 8 pieces)
40g melted butter
filling:
250g cream cheese, soften at room temperature
50g icing sugar
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
40ml boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 box Tortally jelly powder
250ml boiling water
250ml cold water
10 strawberries
Method:
1. Place biscuit into a clean ziplock bag and press until fine crumbs. Mix biscuit crumbs & melted butter together and press firmly with
the help of a spoon onto the base of cake tin. Chill in fridge while preparing step 2.
2. Dissolve gelatin powder in 40ml of boiling water. Stir well (can take awhile) until all gelatin has dissolved. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk cream cheese , icing
sugar and vanilla essence until smooth & creamy. Blend in gelatin
solution and mix well.
4. Remove the cake tin from the fridge and use a fork to prick holes all over the biscuit base.Pour the cheese mixture into the cake tin. Set it aside and prepare the strawberries by using heart-shaped cookie cutter or making a 'V' at the top of the strawberry.
5. Press strawberry gently into cheese mixture. Remember to space them out evenly. Cover the cake tin with cling wrap and place in the fridge. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
6.
Dissolve the jelly crystal in the cup of boiling water, followed by the
cold water. Allow jelly solution to cool for 10 minutes before pouring it gently over the cheese layer. Pour the jelly on the cheese mixture. Refridgerate for another 4 hours before removing from cake tin.
Viola!
Bing Cooks has step by step guide with photographs and it helped me alot for my first try. I'm still finding it alittle impossible to capture every moment. Hope practice really makes perfection.
