strawberry cheesecake with a nutty crumble

This is a delightful strawberry cheesecake recipe that is more like a mousse than a dense fridge cheesecake. The filling is dolloped onto a fabulous nut crumble base and finished off with a drizzle of strawberry syrup and slices of fresh strawberry.

It originates from executive chef Phil De Villiers from 54 on Bath in Johannesburg. His is a way more elaborate and sophisticated dish that is made with elderberries, layered with meringues, honeycomb, vanilla jelly and served with strawberry filled ricotta dumplings on the side. They serve this in the fabulous Level Four restaurant at the hotel. I dumbed the recipe right down to ensure it was super easy to achieve for the home cook, and left out the extra components (sorry Phil). I used strawberry syrup because it so happens I made it recently. Also, elderberries are not available in South Africa at all.

If however you want to get all fancy pants and live in a place where elderberries are easy to come by, I found this lovely sounding recipe to make elderberry syrup. You will have to put it through Google translate, but it looks so pretty.

I was lucky enough to stay at the fabulous 54 on Bath two weeks ago while up in Johannesburg for a Family wedding. Utter luxury.

Before your stay they email you a checklist of things you might or might not like including a pillow menu. I mean how divine. I can only really sleep well with down under my head, so this is what I ordered. They do almost everything possible to ensure that the bed you sleep in is the most comfortable it can be. With super high thread count cotton sheets and puffy down duvets you will want to make sure you spend quite a bit of time there.

Luckily I did.

Chic, modern, sophisticated and luxurious. A boutique hotel island in the bustling Rosebank CBD.

Breakfast is served in the Level Four restaurant and pool deck and hot dishes are a la carte. There is also a continental breakfast buffet, but I opted for the eggs benedict (with smoked salmon) which was delicious.

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and supper and has a champagne bar right next door.

The hotel is literally bolted onto the newly renovated Rosebank Mall, so it’s a matter of walking down a passage and you arrive in the middle of it. As my old stomping ground, I was excited to check out the new developments.

The foyer of the hotel is stunning and glitzy. Residents can have tea and coffee there during their stay. Or high tea. Its also a bar and a great place to meet people.

Other super impressive things about 54 on Bath:

• Free wifi and parking for all guests.
• The burger from room service was one of the best burgers I have ever eaten.
• The tea and coffee station in the room is uber impressive with a mini Illy pod machine. A selection of coffees is paired with various Lindt chocolates, and there is an  array of premium teas too.
• The water pressure is so intense they put a warning on the bath which fills up quicker than you have ever seen a bath fill up before. Ever. This also means the shower is awesome.

54 on Bath, Rosebank, Johannesburg

* Disclaimer ~ My stay at the hotel was complimentary.

The recipe makes a little more crumble mix than is required, but just sprinkle it on other things or eat it with a spoon. It’s totally the best crumble I have ever tasted.

Recipe – makes 12 individual portions

Strawberry Cheesecake

Nut crumble

• 250g flour
• 170g butter
• 110g macadamia nuts
• 110g almonds
• 110g Demerara sugar
• 1/2t vanilla extract

To make the apple crumble topping, preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas mark 3. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture is the texture of breadcrumbs. Spread out the crumble on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, being sure to stir the crumble mixture every 10 minutes. Remove when the mixture is golden brown and set aside to cool.

Cheesecake 

• 125g  crème fraîche
• 225g Philadelphia cheese
• 100g icing sugar
• 150ml Strawberry Syrup (plus extra to garnish)
• 250ml cream
• 3 leaves Gelatine
• Fresh strawberries for garnish

For the cheesecake, soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes, and use a little bit of the cream and melt the gelatine over a double boiler. Set aside to cool.

Mix together the crème fraîche, cream cheese, sugar, and strawberry syrup (I used an electric stand mixer with whisk attachment). Put the cream in a separate bowl and whisk until stiff. Gently fold the gelatine into the cream mix and gradually fold the stiff cream into the cream cheese mixture little by little until completely combined.

To assemble the cheesecake, spoon out a layer of crumble at the bottom of your serving glass and top with a good dollop of strawberry cheesecake mix. refrigerate until ready to serve.

Decorate with a drizzle of strawberry syrup and a few slices of fresh strawberries.

I look forward to connecting with you again in the future.

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