Eloise says: “These cheesecake bars are fresh and fruity and so creamy and delicious. They have a buttery biscuit base, a creamy cheesecake filling packed with strawberries, topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Perfect for a summer barbecue.”

Makes 16

20 minutes + 4 hours chilling

Ingredients

For the base:

• 250g (9oz) digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
• 100g (3.5oz) unsalted or salted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 500g (1lb) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 150g (1¼ cups) icing (powdered) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pink food colouring (optional)
• 100g (3.5oz) fresh strawberries, diced

For the topping:

• 200ml (scant 1 cup) cold double (or heavy) cream
• 8 fresh strawberries, halved, to decorate

Method

For the base:

Line a 20cm (8in) square baking tin with nonstick baking paper. Put the biscuits into a food processor and process until finely crushed. Alternatively, put them into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. 

Tip into a medium mixing bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix with a spoon until fully combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared tin with the back of a spoon, then pop into the refrigerator while you make the filling.

For the filling:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, icing (powdered) sugar, vanilla extract and pink food colouring, if using, with an electric hand mixer until smooth, then fold through the diced strawberries. 

Remove the chilled base from the refrigerator, then spoon on the filling, smoothing it out to the edges. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until completely set. Cut into 16 squares.

For the topping:

Whip the cream with an electric hand mixer to stiff peaks. Pipe the whipped cream in a swirl on top of each square. Place half a strawberry into the whipped cream, as shown in the photo, for decoration. (I find it easiest to do the topping after the cheesecake has been cut into squares.) Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Eloise says: “This cheesecake is so zesty and refreshing. It has a buttery shortbread base, a creamy lemon cheesecake filling and is decorated with fresh whipped cream and lemon zest. If you love lemony desserts, this is the cheesecake for you.”

Serves 12

20 minutes + 6 hours chilling

Ingredients

For the base:

• 350g (12.4oz) shortbread biscuits
• 100g (3.5oz) salted or unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 350ml (1½ cups) cold double (or heavy) cream
• 500g (1lb) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 120g (1 cup) icing (powdered) sugar
• 60ml (4 tbsp) lemon juice

For the topping:

Lemon zest

• 150ml (2/3 cup) double (or heavy) cream
• 6 lemon slice halves

Method

For the base:

Line the bottom of a 20cm (8in) round springform cake tin with a circle of nonstick baking paper. Put the biscuits into a food processor and process until finely crushed. Alternatively, put them into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. 

Tip into a large mixing bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix with a spoon until fully combined. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared tin with the back of a spoon, then pop into the refrigerator while you make the filling.

For the filling:

In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. In a separate large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, icing (powdered) sugar and

lemon juice with the electric mixer until just combined, then fold in the whipped cream with a rubber spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix as this can make the cheesecake go runny.

Remove the chilled base from the refrigerator, then spoon in the filling, smoothing it out to the edges and pressing it down onto the base to avoid any gaps. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight, if possible, until completely set.

For the topping:

Remove the cheesecake from the tin and transfer onto a serving plate, then sprinkle lemon zest evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Whip the cream to stiff peaks so it’s pipeable and holds its shape, then transfer to a piping bag with your favourite nozzle and pipe it around the edge of your cheesecake.

Decorate with the lemon slices however you wish, using the photo as a guide, then serve straight away or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Eloise says: “Banoffee is one of my favourite desserts ever! I love the combination of the crunchy biscuits with the soft banana, the sweet caramel sauce and freshly whipped cream. Just perfection.”

Makes 4

20 minutes + 1 hour chilling

Ingredients

For the biscuit layer:

• 60g (2oz) digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
• 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted or salted butter, melted

For the cream layer: 

• 150ml (⅔ cup) cold double (or heavy) cream
• 50g (6½ tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

To assemble:

• 1 large banana or equivalent, sliced into coins
• 100g (3.5oz) ready-made caramel sauce (melted if it isn’t a runny caramel)

Method

For the biscuit layer:

Put the biscuits into a food processor and process until finely crushed. Alternatively, put them into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Tip into a medium mixing bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix with a spoon until fully combined.

For the cream layer:

In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream, icing (powdered) sugar and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form.

To assemble:

Divide the biscuit mix evenly between 4 jars or glasses, saving about 1 heaped tablespoon of the mix to decorate, and press it down gently to create a base.

Split the cream layer in half, then evenly divide one half between the 4 jars, piping it on to the biscuit base. Place a layer of banana slices on top of the cream, then drizzle over the caramel sauce, saving about 4 teaspoons of the caramel sauce to decorate. Divide the remaining whipped cream mix between the 4 jars. Decorate the jars with a sprinkle of the remaining biscuit mix, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a slice of banana, if you wish.

Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour for best results or serve straight away. Enjoy! Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.