Strawberry Layla Cheesecake
No-bake half-baked cheesecake layered with cocoa sponge cake, lemon jelly, and strawberry cream cheese filling — a seasonal, limited-edition romantic dessert.
Ingredients
Cocoa sponge cake (made per p.28, cut into cake slices using 6-inch and 5-inch round mousse rings)
1
Cold water
100 g
Fine granulated sugar
30 g
Lemon juice
8 g
Gelatin sheets (softened in water)
1
Cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
120 g
Fresh strawberries (blended into a purée)
250 g
Fine granulated sugar
90 g
Plain yogurt
80 g
Gelatin sheets (softened in water)
2 1/3
Lemon juice
10 g
Heavy cream (whipped)
250 g
Fresh strawberries (sliced, laid on plastic wrap at the bottom of the mold)
A few
Instructions
1
Make lemon jelly
Bring the cold water and fine granulated sugar to a boil, add the lemon juice and stir, then turn off the heat. Squeeze excess water from the gelatin sheets, add them to the lemon syrup, and stir to combine into the jelly liquid. Pour the jelly liquid evenly into 2 molds lined with strawberries, and refrigerate until set.
2
Make strawberry cheese filling
Once the cream cheese is softened, stir it over a double boiler to loosen, then add the fine granulated sugar and whisk into a smooth cheese paste.
3
Add strawberry purée
Pour the strawberry purée into the cheese paste and stir until evenly combined, then add the lemon juice and yogurt and mix well.
4
Add gelatin
Squeeze excess water from the gelatin sheets, melt them into a liquid over a double boiler, then add to the mixture from step 5 and stir to make the strawberry cheese paste. Chill over an ice water bath until thickened.
5
Add whipped cream
Whip the heavy cream. Add about 1/3 of the whipped cream to the strawberry cheese paste and fold gently, then add the remaining whipped cream and fold everything together to make the strawberry cheese filling.
6
Assemble the mold
Evenly pipe the strawberry cheese filling into the mold to about 1/2 of the height, then place a 5-inch cake slice on top and press down slightly. Add more filling until 90% full, then press a 6-inch cake slice on top.
7
Chill to set
Chill for at least 6 hours. Once set, invert the mold so the strawberry side faces up, peel off the plastic wrap, and unmold.
