Easy strawberry cheesecake

For the base: Brush the base with butter and line a 23cm loose-bottomed tin with grease proof paper. Toss the biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin. Put the crumbs in a bowl, and then pour over the melted butter. Combine well until the crumbs are completely coated. Tip them into the prepared tin and press firmly down into the base to create an even layer. Chill in the fridge for about an hour to allow it to set.

Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways. Scrape out the seeds using the back of a kitchen knife.

For the filling: Add the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla seeds to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in the cream and continue beating until the mixture is completely smooth. Now spoon the cream mixture onto the biscuit base. Smooth the top of the cheesecake mixture down with a spatula. Place in the fridge to set overnight.

Remove carefully from the tin. Purée half the strawberries in a food processor with the icing sugar and 1 tsp water, then put mixure through a sieve. Pour the purée over the cheesecake and decorate with the remaining strawberries.