Vanilla and gingerbread cheesecake
Use ready-made ginger cake as a base in these invidual cheesecakes topped with stawberries infused in balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
For the cheesecake
- 50g/2oz readymade gingerbread, sliced
- 450g/1lb cream cheese
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- 250g/9oz crème fraîche
- 475ml/17fl oz double cream
- 2 vanilla pods, seeds scraped out
For the strawberries
- 200g/7oz strawberries
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Method
Place the gingerbread onto a tray and leave out overnight to dry.
When dry and hard, place into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are formed. Set to one side.
Place the cream cheese, caster sugar, crème fraîche, double cream and vanilla seeds into a large bowl. Whisk together until smooth.
Place the cream mixture into a plastic piping bag and carefully pipe into 4.5cm/2in deep by 5.5cm/2½in wide chefs' rings.
Smooth off the top with the back of a flat knife and place in the fridge for two hours to set.
When set, remove from the fridge and leave at room temperature for five minutes.
Place the ginger crumbs onto a plate and carefully pick up the chefs' rings and dip each end of the cheesecake into the ginger crumbs.
Lightly shake each cheesecake onto a plate, removing the ring.
Meanwhile, for the strawberries, heat a frying pan over a high temperature. Add the strawberries and sugar to the frying pan and fry briefly for a minute, then pour over the balsamic and cook for a furthur 30 seconds.
To serve, spoon some of the strawberries onto the plate, alongside the cheesecake.