Strawberry Cheesecake

Cut 280 g of strawberries into small pieces and combine them with 130 g of sugar, 10 g of cornstarch and ½ tsp of vanilla extract. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 3–5 minutes after it starts to boil. Blend until smooth, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and let cool completely.

Beat 75 g of softened butter with 60 g of powdered sugar until the mixture turns white. Add the egg yolk and ½ tsp of vanilla extract and beat for a couple more minutes. Combine 140 g of flour, 30 g of almond flour and ¼ tsp of salt, add to the mixture and stir. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten it and refrigerate for 30–40 minutes.

Roll out the dough and bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 10–15 minutes. Let it cool completely.

Grind the cooled crust into crumbs in a food processor, or put it in a zip-top bag and crush it with a rolling pin. Melt 40 g of butter and mix it with the crumbs until the mixture holds together well.

Generously grease the sides of the cake ring with oil and place it on a flat, heatproof surface — I'm using the base of a springform pan. Use ¾ of the crumbs for the sides and the remaining ¼ for the bottom. Press the crust against the sides with a flat-bottomed glass. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes.

Measure out 150 g of the strawberry sauce. Mix 600 g of room temperature cream cheese with 120 g of sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 150 g of heavy cream. Finally, add the 150 g of strawberry sauce and stir until well combined.

Pour the filling over the chilled crust. Place a baking dish filled with hot water on the bottom rack of the oven and bake the cheesecake at 110°C (230°F) for 100–130 minutes. The center should jiggle slightly.

Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool inside. Once cooled, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day, carefully remove the cake ring. Drizzle each slice with the remaining strawberry sauce.