- In a bowl whip cream till it forms peaks, for about a minute.
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl and beat on low speed until smooth and free of any lumps. Add sugar and continue mixing until incorporated. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and beat until creamy.
- Add lemon juice, strawberry essence, and cornstarch mixture; beat for about a minute.
- Add whipped cream and gently combine using the cut and fold method with the help of a spatula. keep this filling in fridge for half an hour.
- for Filling:
- in a food processor crush digestive biscuit and mix with butter.
- in a round springform tin grease the base with butter and then line with parchment paper.
- pour the biscuit mixture and level with the help of a spoon back or glass. refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Strawberry compote:
- rinse the strawberries and cut the leaf cap and cut the berries in half or quarter depending upon the size.
- in a saucepan add sugar, and berries and sprinkle some water.
- keep stirring as sugar and strawberry might settle to base, after 5 - 10 minutes the compote should thicken and start leaving the base. but if it is too liquid add cornflour mixed with water and stir well and allow to cool.
- preheat oven to 180°C.
- Place the springform pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it (this is to keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake).
- Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until the water is about 1/4 of the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- pour in the cheesecake mixture onto the biscuit base and bake for about 45 minutes.
- keep the door closed for another 45 minutes so that it cools and cooks as well.
- after the stipulated time remove cheesecake from the oven and refrigerate overnight.
- chocolate disc:
- melt dark chocolate with oil on a double boiler.
- gently spread it on a round plate with the same diameter as of cheesecake and place a bowl upside down on the chocolate so it creates a hollow area.
- place a few drops of white chocolate around the disc and then using a toothpick spread the white chocolate and allow it to cool.
- unmould the cold cheesecake using a knife warmed up using hot water.
- place the disc on the top of the cake and fill the center with strawberry compote.
