My Platinum Pudding – Strawberry Anzac Biscuit Cheesecake – recipe

I entered this recipe into the Fortnum and Mason Platinum Pudding competition in 2022. I didn’t get shortlisted but it ticks all the boxes of fit for a Queen, has a story with meaning, uses accessible ingredients and uses utensils you would find in most kitchens. I made this Platinum Pudding for my family and they LOVED it! My son even asked for it for his birthday cake. I would love for you to make it too, so I wanted to share the recipe.

Here is the recipe – below you will find a bit more about why it is special.

Ingredients

For the base

• 100g plain flour
• 60g rolled oats
• 60g desiccated coconut
• 100g light brown sugar
• 80g butter
• 20g golden syrup
• 1.5 tablespoons (25ml) water
• 1/3 teaspoon (2g) bicarbonate of soda

For the cheesecake

• 400g low fat cream cheese at room temperature
• 120g 0% fat Greek style yoghurt
• 30g plain flour
• 100g icing sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature, beaten
• 30g cornflour
• 350g frozen strawberries, defrosted

For the jelly

• Juice from the strawberries above (about 100ml)
• 100ml apple juice
• 1tsp (5g) gelatine powder
• 4 tbsp (60ml) hot water

Method

The night before, put the frozen strawberries in a sieve and sit over a bowl so the juice will run through.

Grease and line the bottom of an 8inch loose bottomed baking tin.

Put flour, oats, coconut and sugar in bowl and mix

Put butter, golden syrup and 1.5 tablespoons of water in a microwave bowl and heat until the butter has melted – be careful not to burn it. Add the bicarb and mix. Add this mixture to the oats and combine.

Press into the tin

Bake at 160 degrees C (150 fan) for 15 minutes until golden

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool thoroughly– leave it on the baking paper to make it easier to transfer back into the tin later.

Press the strawberries slightly to remove most of moisture but don’t mash. Keep the liquid for later. Cut the strawberries into pieces so they are about 1cm across

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, add the yoghurt, plain flour and corn flour and mix until smooth. Add the beaten egg and mix. Add the strawberries and gently fold them in.

Line the sides of the baking tin so the paper is at least 10cm higher than the side of the tin.

Put the cold biscuit back into the tin and add the cheesecake topping. Bake at 160 (150 fan) for about 55 minutes until set (although there may be a bit of a wobble).

Turn off the oven and leave the door open. Allow to cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

When the cheesecake is chilled, mix the apple and strawberry juices together in a jug. In a separate mug or jug, mix a teaspoon of gelatine powder with 4 tbsp hot water, stir constantly and briskly, add the gelatine mixture to the juices and allow to cool to room temperature. When it is cool, carefully pour it over the cheesecake.

Chill for at least 3 hours until the jelly is set. Decorate with fresh fruit if you like.

The story behind the cheesecake

There are 3 elements to this Platinum Pudding recipe

The Anzac biscuit base to represent the Commonwealth (which the Queen is so integral to) and in memory of the Anzac troops and Anzac girls (one of whom was my Auntie Ollie). Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and they supported the British forces during World War 1 including in Gallipoli.

The baked cheesecake with Greek yoghurt – to represent some of the heritage of the royal family (The Greek yoghurt and the German style baked cheesecake).

Strawberry and apple jelly – to represent two of the many beautiful fruits we grow in this country.

I have used accessible ingredients, including frozen fruit, and designed the dish so that none of the fruit is wasted. Working in a more sustainable way, as the royal family has always championed.

The pudding can be made within a day and can be made the night before the party giving bakers the chance to do all the other party prep on the day. It is also fairly easy to transport and to eat standing up!

Perfect for a street party to celebrate our Queen.

I’d love to know what you think of my Platinum Pudding recipe.