Strawberry Shortbread Cheesecake (Printable Version)
Juicy strawberries and rich cream fill a sweet, buttery shortbread bottom—perfect for sunny days.
# What You'll Need:
→ Strawberry Reduction
01 -
100 g regular sugar
02 -
454 g strawberries, hulled (fresh or frozen work)
→ Shortbread Crust
03 -
1 g fine salt
04 -
27 g icing sugar
05 -
125 g plain flour
06 -
113 g soft unsalted butter
→ Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
07 -
224 g large eggs (around 4), brought to room temperature
08 -
4 g vanilla extract or paste
09 -
130 g cooled strawberry reduction
10 -
125 g full-fat sour cream, room temp
11 -
904 g full-fat cream cheese, softened
12 -
3 g finely grated lemon peel if you want, from about 1 small lemon
13 -
18 g cornstarch
14 -
266 g plain sugar
→ Garnish (Optional)
15 -
Fresh strawberries
16 -
Flaky sea salt
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Pop open the springform and grab out your cheesecake. Smother the top with the extra strawberry sauce you saved. Lay a nice circle of fresh strawberries around the edge and give a little shake of flaky salt over the top if you like. Use a sharp knife run under hot water, wiping it clean as you go, to cut tidy slices for everyone.
02 -
Let your cheesecake sit on the counter for a couple hours till it's cool. Cover with plastic and put it in the fridge for at least 3 or 4 hours, but overnight's even better to set it up.
03 -
Pour in your filling over the chilled crust. Gently tap the tin to bust any air bubbles hiding in there. Slide the pan onto a big baking sheet and bake at 150°C for 20 minutes. Don’t crack open the oven—you’ll knock the heat down to 110°C and bake for 2 more hours. When time’s up, switch the oven off, leave the cake inside, door closed, and let it hang out for an hour to chill slowly.
04 -
Crack your eggs into a bowl and whisk them up. In a separate bowl, mix up the sugar and cornstarch (toss the lemon zest in too, massaging it for extra flavor if you’re using). Start your mixer and whip the cream cheese till it’s totally smooth. Dump in your sugar mix and keep blending. Spoon in the sour cream, strawberry sauce, and vanilla, mixing till everything's smooth. Now, add your whisked eggs bit by bit while the mixer’s on low, just till mixed in.
05 -
On the lowest oven rack, place a flat tray filled with about an inch of hot water. This helps your cheesecake bake in a nice, steamy environment.
06 -
Set your oven for 175°C. Get your 8- or 9-inch springform pan greased and line the bottom with parchment. Mix the softened butter, flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl until it gets crumbly. Squash it into the pan and poke it all over with a fork. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes till the edges turn golden. Let it cool on a rack. Drop the oven down to 150°C for the next step.
07 -
In a food processor or blender, blitz your strawberries and sugar till smooth. Pour the purée in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring now and then until it’s bubbling and thick—takes about 8 minutes. Dial the heat back to medium-low and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and scrape the sides so nothing sticks or browns. When thick and darker red, move to a bowl to cool. Set aside 130 g for the filling and chill the rest for the topping.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
All your creamy ingredients mix best when they're not straight out of the fridge, so give them time to warm up.
02 -
Pop any leftovers in the fridge for up to a week, or stash slices in the freezer for three months.
03 -
Not feeling shortbread? Swap in a graham cracker base or your favorite crust—totally works.
04 -
Letting the cheesecake cool slowly in the oven helps keep the top from cracking up.
05 -
Hold off on decorating with strawberry sauce and berries until just before serving so it stays pretty.