A Mother’ Day treat to share with mom

A flower starts as a bud. Simple and humble. Like a newborn baby, there is only a whisper of promises to come. Each stage of a human’s development is like the opening of a flower.

The first stages are cryptic, the flower’s secrets are safely locked away. Then, one day, the first flutter of petals become visible as the baby begins to respond to her with recognition and joy. The mother feels a warmth kindled in her heart, knowing this is her favourite stage of her child’s development. Like a flower opening, each new petal reveals a new colour, a new personality trait, more of the blossom is open and visible.

At each point, she believes the flower is perfect as it is, and then it outdoes her wildest expectations by revealing more of its inner beauty. Another petal unfurled, more of the bigger picture revealed.

As fragrant flowers in full bloom, Mother’s Day gives us the perfect opportunity to honour the love and nurturing we received from our mothers by treating her. This year, we turn to the garden and get creative in the kitchen. What’s better than making a cheesecake? Spending time with your kids on Mother’s Day, teaching them how to make it, of course!

Homegrown strawberry cheesecake

May is strawberry harvesting time, so pop into the garden with the kids and harvest all the juicy strawberries you planted last year. This recipe calls for 400g so ensure your garden is well-stocked beforehand.

What you will need:

Cheesecake:
100g melted butter
284ml fresh cream
250g biscuits (digestive biscuits work well)
600g cream cheese
5ml vanilla essence
100g icing sugar

Topping:
400g fresh strawberries
25g icing sugar

Preparing the cheesecake:

Step 1: Make the base
Line your cake tin (loose-bottomed 23cm cake tin) with wax wrap and crush the biscuits. The biscuits should be as fine as possible – this can be achieved by placing them in a food processor or by placing them in a Ziploc bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. Mix the biscuits into the melted butter to form a mixture. Line the baking tray with the mixture by compressing it into an even layer. Refrigerate for an hour.

Step 2: Pour in vanilla essence
Add vanilla essence and stir. Then stir in the cream cheese and the icing sugar.

Step 3: Mix
Mix the ingredients well, an electric mixer will help to make it smooth. Add the cream and mix again.

Step 4: Add the mixture to the base
Spoon the smooth mixture onto the base, which has been refrigerated. Smooth it down perfectly, ensuring there are no bubbles in the mixture. Try to ensure the surface is even and allow the cake to set in the fridge overnight.

Making the homegrown strawberry topping
Puree half of the strawberries by placing them in a food processor or a blender with the icing sugar. Halve the remaining strawberries and place them on the cheesecake. Strain the pureed strawberries well and pour the liquid over the fresh strawberries on the cake.

Serve the cheesecake when mom arrives. It is recommended to bring the cake to room temperature by removing it from the fridge an hour before it is served.