Baked honey and strawberry cheesecake with nut crust

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 200g nuts of choice (we used raw almonds and peeled pistachios)
• 1 packet (200g) PnP T-biscuits
• ¾ cup (180g) butter, melted

Filling:

• 3 tubs (250g each) full-fat cream cheese
• ¾ cup (180ml) sour cream
• 1 cup (200g) castor sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) honey
• 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence or 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla paste

Topping:

• 1 cup (200g) castor sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) water
• 2 punnets (200g each) strawberries, halved
• ½ tsp (7ml) cornflour
• Mint and edible flowers (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Blitz nuts in a food processor until very fine (or chop by hand).
3. Add biscuits, blitz until fine, then stir in melted butter.
4. Press crust mix into a lined 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
5. Blend filling ingredients in a food processor or with a stick blender until smooth.
6. Pour over the crust base in cake tin.
7. Bake for 80-90 minutes, until the outer edges of the cake are set but the centre is still slightly wobbly (like firm jelly).
8. Turn oven off, open door slightly and cool the cake in the oven for an hour.
9. Remove and cool completely at room temperature, then chill for at least 3 hours (or overnight).
10. Simmer sugar, water and half the strawberries in a saucepan on low heat for 5 minutes – take care not to let the berries disintegrate.
11. Mix cornflour with a little water to make a paste and add to strawberry mixture. 
12. Simmer for 3 minutes to thicken.
13. Remove, cool completely and strain.
14. Add remaining fresh strawberries.
15. Spoon topping over cheesecake, scatter with mint and flowers if you like, and serve.

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