Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. While the oven heats, crush the digestive biscuits inside a sealed plastic bag using a rolling pin until you have a mixture of fine crumbs and small pebbly pieces — you want some texture, not dust.
- Make the biscuit crumble: In a small bowl, combine the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and cinnamon (if using). Stir with a fork until every crumb looks damp and darkens slightly in colour. Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking tray and bake for 8 minutes — you'll know it's ready when the kitchen smells toasty and the crumbs feel firm to the touch. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack; they'll crisp up further as they cool.
- Prepare the cheesecake filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until it looks smooth, pale, and silky — about 2 minutes. Add the caster sugar and beat for another minute until the mixture feels light and fluffy, with no graininess remaining.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until the yellow streaks disappear. The mixture should look thick, glossy, and slightly ribbony when you lift the beaters. Overmixing at this stage will make the filling too airy and cause it to puff then sink.
- Pour in the double cream, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt. Stir gently with a spatula until everything is fully combined — the batter should be smooth, pale ivory in colour, and smell wonderfully of vanilla and citrus. Divide this mixture evenly among six oven-safe bowls or ramekins (about 175ml each).
- Bake the filled bowls on the middle rack of your oven for 20–25 minutes. You'll know they're done when the edges look set and slightly puffed, but the centres still wobble like jelly when you gently shake the bowl. The surface should be pale golden, not browned. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the counter for 30 minutes — they will continue to set as they cool.
- While the cheesecakes cool, prepare the strawberry topping: Toss the sliced strawberries with honey in a small bowl and let them macerate for 10 minutes. The fruit will release its juices, creating a light syrup that turns ruby red and smells intensely sweet.
- To assemble: Once the cheesecake bowls are completely cool (or chilled, if you prefer), sprinkle a generous layer of the cooled biscuit crumble over each one. Spoon the honeyed strawberries on top, letting some of the syrup drizzle down the sides. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.
Notes
For best texture, allow cheesecakes to cool completely before adding the crumble and strawberries. The crumble can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container.
