Strawberry Cheesecake Tart Recipe
This is my go-to summer dessert when strawberries are actually good. It’s lighter than a baked cheesecake but still rich enough to feel special. The two key techniques are cooking down a strawberry-balsamic sauce for the filling and ensuring everything is the right temperature during assembly for a perfectly smooth texture.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 3/4 cups Biscoff cookie crumbs (from one 8.8-ounce package)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Strawberry Sauce
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
For the Filling & Topping
- 16 ounces (2 blocks) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, very cold
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, for topping
- Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Make the Crust and Strawberry Sauce
First, make the crust. In a medium bowl, mix the Biscoff cookie crumbs and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9- or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.
Next, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the diced strawberries, granulated sugar, water, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for ~12-15 minutes. The berries will break down and the sauce will thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Let the sauce cool completely to room temperature. This is a critical step; if the sauce is warm, it will melt the cheesecake filling.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese with an electric mixer until it is completely smooth and free of lumps. This is why starting with soft cream cheese is non-negotiable.
Add the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat again until everything is smooth and combined.
In a separate, chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until soft peaks form.
Gently fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it. Then, fold in the remaining whipped cream until just combined. Be careful not to deflate all the air you just whipped into it.
Pour about half of the cooled strawberry sauce over the cheesecake filling. Fold it in with just a few strokes to create a marbled, streaky effect.
Assemble and Chill the Tart
Pour the cheesecake filling into the chilled crust and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula.
Cover the tart and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight. The filling needs this long, uninterrupted time to set up properly so you can get clean slices.
Just before serving, arrange fresh, sliced strawberries over the top of the tart and garnish with mint leaves.
Strawberry Cheesecake Tart
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 3/4 cups Biscoff cookie crumbs from one 8.8-ounce package
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Strawberry Sauce
- 2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and diced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
For the Filling & Topping
- 16 ounces 2 blocks full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream very cold
- 1 pound fresh strawberries for topping
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Method
- Mix Biscoff crumbs with melted butter until sandy. Press into 9-inch tart pan. Refrigerate.
- Simmer strawberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar 12-15 minutes until thickened. Cool completely.
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt.
- Whip cold heavy cream to soft peaks in separate bowl.
- Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in thirds.
- Swirl half the cooled strawberry sauce into filling for marbled effect.
- Pour into chilled crust and spread evenly.
- Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
- Top with fresh sliced strawberries and mint before serving.
