Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies

FOR STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

• 150 g (1 cup) Strawberries, hulled & diced
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Corn flour/Corn starch
• 1 tbsp Water

FOR STRAWBERRY COOKIES

• 195 g (1 1/2 cup) Plain flour/all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 113 g (1/2 cup) Unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 egg Uk-medium size, weight without shell = 51 g
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 50 g (1/4 cup) light brown sugar
• 14 g (2 tbsp) Digestive biscuits crumb
• 10 g (2 tbsp) freeze dried strawberries 
• 2 1/2 tbsp (approx: 40 g) Strawberry compote, chilled

FOR STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 57 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, slightly softened 
• 120 g (about 1 cup) Icing sugar/powdered sugar 
• 115 g Cream cheese, full fat
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp Freeze dried strawberry powder, sifted
• 1-2 tsp Strawberry compote, chilled

MAKE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

1. Add roughly chopped strawberries, sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat stirring occasionally, break up some of the strawberries as you stir. Cook the mixture for about 10-12 minutes or until strawberries are mushy and soft and the mixture is almost thick.
2. Mix 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water together until all the cornstarch has dissolved. Add into it and cook for a minute or until almost thick glossy sauce with a few chunks of strawberries is ready. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Pop it in the fridge to cool completely.

MAKE STRAWBERRY COOKIES

1. Line your baking tray with baking paper and preheat the oven to 155°C/320°F (for the Fan oven) and 175°C/347°F for the conventional oven.
2. Crush digestive biscuits in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin until they are a fine crumb. 
3. In a medium bowl, sift together plain flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk them to combine and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add unsalted softened butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract, beat them until light and fluffy by using an electric hand mixer for about one-two minutes.
5. Now add the egg and beat again until well combined. Now add freeze-dried strawberry powder and dry ingredients, beat again until just combined, and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Now add in the digestive biscuits crumb (or Graham cracker) and mix it together until combined.
6. Lastly, drop the dollops of chilled strawberry compote on top of the cookie dough and slightly swirl it into the cookie dough, using a butter knife.
7. Scoop out 6 cookies at a time per one baking tray, using a cookie scoop of about 2 1/2 tbsp each. Cookies should be a few inches apart from each other. Press each cookie ball slightly down. Bake in a preheated oven for 14-15 minutes.
8. Scoop out more cookies from the remaining dough, press down slightly, cover the tray and pop in the fridge as we are baking one tray at a time.
9. Once baked, let them cool on the baking tray for 5-10 minutes. After that transfer them to a cooling rack and cool them completely. While preparing frosting, you can keep them in the fridge to cool completely.

MAKE STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Cream the slightly softened butter on medium speed (with a hand mixer or stand mixer) until smooth and light in colour (about 2-3 minutes).
2. Add in half of the icing sugar/powdered sugar (sifted). Mix with a spatula then beat on low speed until well combined, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Take out the COLD cream cheese straight from the fridge, shift to a small bowl, add in the lemon juice, give it a good mix using a spoon or a hand mixer then add in the above butter mixture. Beat it until combined and fluffy. 
4. Then add the remaining icing sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder and chilled strawberry compote, and beat until fluffy and well combined. Be careful, not to overbeat the frosting. Use it right away.
5. Frost each cookie with a spoon of cream cheese frosting, and smooth it out using the back of a spoon. Decorate with a few biscuit crumbs and strawberry chunks. Enjoy!