25 MAY 2023 31 This challenge is all about showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients in a recipe that can be enjoyed with family and friends, inside or outside, afternoon or evening. A take on the summer classic of strawberries and cream, this cheesecake incorporates silkysmooth white chocolate with a zesty strawberry compote, meaning every single spoonful is packed with taste. Not only is this dessert going to impress friends and family, it is so quick and easy, you can be enjoying it within the hour. It’s a good one to get the kids involved with too – they’ll love chopping or mashing the strawberries for the compote, or smashing the biscuits for the base. SAM AND AMY The Blue Team Food&Drink Serves 6 Prepare 20 minutes 300ml double cream 2 x 250g Essential Soft Cheese 180g pack Cooks’ Ingredients Belgian White Chocolate, roughly chopped ¼ tsp vanilla bean paste 150g Essential Shortcake Biscuits 30g Urban Forest Gently Baked Strawberries, nely chopped or blitzed in a blender 400g pack Essential Strawberries 1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice 2 sprigs mint 1 Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer), whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the soft cheese and combine on a medium speed until smooth. Layered summer strawberry cheesecakes 2 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, either over a pan of just-simmering water, or in the microwave on high at 30 second intervals, stirring intermittently. Once the chocolate has melted, allow to cool slightly, then incorporate slowly into the soft cheese and double cream mixture with the vanilla paste, ensuring it is evenly combined. 3 Break up the shortcake biscuits into a ne crumb – either pulse in a food processor with the baked strawberries, or bash in a large bowl with the end of a rolling pin, then mix in the strawberries. 4 Set aside 6 small strawberries, or 3 large ones, halved for decoration, and nely chop or mash the remaining berries with a fork. Tip into a bowl, add ½ the lemon zest and all the juice. Finely chop the leaves from 1 mint sprig, then stir in with a fork, mixing for a couple of minutes, until compote-like. 5 Reserve 2 tbsp of the crumbs for later. Take 6 glass tumblers (approx 350ml) and begin layering. Use ½ the shortcake mix at the bottom. Follow with a layer of cheesecake mix (about half the mixture between the glasses), a layer of the strawberry compote (using about ½ between the glasses), remaining crumbs and cheesecake mix, nishing with the strawberry. 6 Spoon the reserved crumbs centrally onto each cheesecake, and top with the reserved strawberries, or strawberry halves. Finely chop the remaining mint leaves, scatter over with the remaining lemon zest, and serve. V Per serving 3121kJ/752kcals/61g fat/37g saturated fat/43g carbs/31g sugars/2g bre/8g protein/0.7g salt COOK’S TIP You could make more of the strawberry compote throughout the summer and add it to a crisp, cold glass of Prosecco for a fruity addition to an apéritif. ‘A take on the seasonal classic of strawberries and cream – every single spoonful is packed with taste’ The copy, recipe and design of this page has been adapted and edited, but is based on Sam and Amy’s semi- nal challenge in the episode of Future Food Stars BBC One on 18 May. The challenge was to develop and write a seasonal recipe, photograph it and design the page. The recipe was then demonstrated to an audience, including a panel of judges. To catch up, watch episode 7 of series 2 on BBC iPlayer Photographs: Con Poulos, Props: Wei Tang
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