Pimms and lemonade cheesecake

I like to serve Pimms and lemonade at my parties whatever the time of year. It conjures memories of happy summer days. I like all the froufrou fruit and adornment. So here’s a very easy cheesecake version, without any baking or gelatine soaking, and done in a few stages. Serve with… you guessed it.

FOR THE BASE:

INGREDIENTS

125g digestive biscuits, crushed

75g butter, melted

1 tablespoon caster sugar

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:

350g cream cheese

85g icing sugar

1 orange, finely zested

2 lemons, finely zested

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

300ml double cream, whipped

FOR THE JELLY:

150ml pimms

135 g block full-sugar strawberry jelly, cut into cubes

mint leaves

strawberries, hulled and sliced

FOR THE SALAD:

400g strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/3 cucumber, deseeded and chopped into 2 cm chunks

150ml pimms

1 tablespoon mint leaves, finely chopped

METHOD

Start making this cheesecake the day before you need it.

Grease and line a 20 cm springform tin (at least 7 cm in height) with cling film – this will make it easier to remove later. Mix the biscuits, butter and sugar together and press into the tin using the back of a metal spoon. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

To make the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, both zests and juices in a stand mixer, with an electric handheld mixer or with a wooden spoon until combined. Gently fold through the whipped cream with a large metal spoon. Spoon onto your chilled base, smooth and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Make the jelly. Heat the Pimms in a small pan until it starts to bubble, then remove from the heat and add the jelly cubes. Stir until dissolved, pour into a jug and refrigerate. Arrange a few mint leaves and sliced strawberries on top of the cheesecake, then when the jelly has cooled and just started to set pour it over the cheesecake and place it back in the fridge for 2 hours until set firm. The jelly needs to have begun to set in the jug before pouring; if it is too liquid it will slip down the sides. If you leave it a little too long and the jelly won’t level, simply use a hairdryer on a very low setting to ‘melt’ the jelly gently.

Mix all the salad ingredients and leave for an hour at room temperature to macerate. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin, unpeel the cling film and serve with the salad.

IDEAS FOR A ZESTLESS LEMON

Squeeze out the juice, measure, then add the same amount in grams of sugar – boil until the sugar dissolves and pour over cupcakes for mini drizzle cakes. Or squeeze over prawns and add chopped fresh chilli before frying over a high heat.

#normalmum #creamcheese #orange #lemon #cream #strawberries #mint