Shavuot Recipe - Strawberry & Almond Cheesecake
This cake is the answer to a cheese cake without the richness. The blobs of cheese mixture bake with sponge, studding the cake with creamy pockets of deliciousness – lovely for afternoon tea in the garden.
Preparation time 30 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour Serves: 8 -10 people
For the sponge
175g butter
200g caster sugar
4 large eggs
100g self -raising flour
75g full fat natural yoghurt
200g ground almonds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
~
150g strawberries -hulled and roughly chopped
100g strawberry jam
~
30g flaked almonds – toasted
For the cheese cake blobs
200g medium fat cream cheese
25g caster sugar
1 egg white
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/ Gas mark 4.
Grease and line the base and sides of a deep 23cm loose based cake tin.
Mix the ingredients of the cheese cake blobs in a bowl until just combined – be careful not to over mix or it will become runny. Set aside.
Whisk together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds, yoghurt, vanilla extract and salt until smooth.
Combine the strawberry jam and chopped strawberries together.
Scrape half the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin, then cover with all strawberry mixture.
Use the back of a teaspoon to create dips in the surface of the cake and dollop spoonfuls of cheese cake blobs on top of the mixture.
Cover with the remaining cake mixture, being careful not to disturb the cheese cake and strawberry mixture below.
Sprinkle over with toasted almonds and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool for 20 minutes in the tin before turning out.
Notes on Perfect Cheese cake
Today there are many types and flavours of cheesecake but here are some tips to help make the perfect cake:
Bring all the ingredients to room temperature before mixing. This takes about 15 minutes.
Mix filling until combined ~don’t over mix.
Use a loose based cake tin lined with baking parchment to ensure it can be removed with ease and without damaging it.
Don’t open the oven door while baking
Cook slowly on a medium to low heat so that the cake sets inside without burning on top.
When cooked let it cool in the oven ~ this prevents it from cracking.
Garnish a cheesecake no more than 3 hours before serving.
Serve at room temperature
If freezing, wrap securely with baking parchment followed by foil and defrost over night in the refrigerator.
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To listen again to Denise telling us how to make it you can click here