Pineapple cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
Base
180 g plain biscuits
100 g butter
Filling
500 g Philadelphia
120 g icing sugar
10 g gelatine
250 g fresh whipping cream
1 tin of 10 pineapple slices in natural juice
Mixed berries as preferred
Topping
1 sachet Tortagel or 2 tablespoons cornflour
3 tablespoons sugar
250 pineapple juice
I soak gelatine in cold water 10 minutes.

I finely crush biscuits.

I collect in a bowl.

I melt butter.

I combine with biscuits.

I line base and sides of a 22 cm tin with parchment.

I firmly press biscuits into an even layer, using a meat mallet.

I refrigerate the uniform base.

I open half a vanilla pod and scrape seeds.

I combine cream cheese, 50 g of the icing sugar and vanilla seeds.

I whisk to a soft cream.

I dissolve squeezed gelatine with two or three tablespoons cream in a microwave bowl or saucepan without boiling.

I whip cream separately, gradually adding remaining 70 g icing sugar.

Continuing to whisk, I gradually add lukewarm gelatine. This is the difficult stage: hot gelatine touching cold cream forms lumps.

Cream should be whipped but soft.

I vigorously mix two or three tablespoons cream into cheese.

I gently fold in remaining cream upwards from bottom.

I drain and thoroughly dry pineapple slices, retaining juice.

I finely chop 5 slices.

I gently add to cream.

I add filling to chilled base.

I level and refrigerate.

Make topping with Tortagel from the supermarket baking aisle and pineapple juice totalling 250 g, topping up with water if needed, plus the sachet and 3 level tablespoons sugar. Alternatively, add 2 tablespoons cornflour dissolved in cold water to juice and sugar and boil until thick.

I stir and boil juice for 1 minute, remove and cool 2 minutes, stirring.

I add topping, reserving two or three tablespoons.

I arrange remaining 5 pineapple slices and chosen berries, brushing reserved topping over fruit for shine.

I refrigerate several hours and decorate with mint.