Mini no-bake cheesecake with strawberries

Cheesecake is the ultimate dessert – no matter what the flavour – but these mini no-bake versions are the perfect go-to options for a whole lot of reasons! Firstly, the mini size is super easy to pack up and eat as a sweet treat while out and about, and a perfect way to please the crowd at get-togethers. They’re also fairly easy to whip up without losing any of that mouthwatering cheesecake flavour!

Serve these with the strawberry topping or just on their own if you run out of time. Either way, they’re bound to be a hit!

Ingredients

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1 2/3 cups (175g) digestive biscuits, very fine crumbs
• 90g unsalted butter, melted
  Filling
• 1 1/4 tsp gelatine powder
• 250g cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup (65g) cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup (60ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
  Topping
• 500g small strawberries, hulled, sliced
• 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (120g) crème fraîche or sour cream, stirred to loosen

Method

1. Lightly spray the inside of a 12-hole, 1/3 cup (80ml) muffin pan with cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap.
2. In a large bowl, stir biscuit crumbs and butter until mixture has a wet sandy texture and clumps together when squeezed.
3. Press 2 tablespoons of the biscuit crumb mixture into the base and side of each hole of prepared pan. Chill for 30 minutes or until crusts harden.
4. To make the filling, sprinkle gelatine into a small saucepan. Pour 2 tablespoons of water over gelatine and swirl to blend. Let stand for 5 minutes or until gelatine softens.
5. In a food processor, blend cream cheese until smooth and creamy, scraping down side and base of the bowl occasionally to ensure no lumps remain. Add cottage cheese and blend until smooth and creamy. Add condensed milk and sugar and blend well. Set aside.
6. Stir gelatine mixture over medium heat for 1 minute to dissolve gelatine. With food processor running, slowly pour hot melted gelatine mixture through feed tube and into the cream cheese mixture in a thin stream. Continue to process to ensure gelatine is very well blended.
7. Divide mixture among prepared crusts. Chill for at least 4 hours or until cheesecakes are cold and set.
8. To make the topping, position grill rack about 15cm from heat source and preheat grill on high. In a 20cm square baking dish, toss strawberries, sugar and lemon juice to coat. Cook strawberries under grill, stirring often, for 6-8 minutes or until strawberries are tender and juices bubble.
9. Spoon 2 teaspoons of crème fraîche or sour cream over each cheesecake. Top with the warm strawberries and serve immediately.