Cheese and cake are two words I hear a lot, usually followed by a series of increasingly passionate “pease pease”, so it was inevitable that I would join these two words together and create their more glorious compound: cheesecake.
While I never have, and never will, turn down a serving of cheesecake, a lot of them are too sweet and too heavy. Cream cheese, when not overwhelmed with sugar has a hint of tartness, perfect for a summer desert.
I flavoured this no bake cheesecake with almond crumble and cherries. I divided the mixture into eight generous portions and could have stretched to ten. Each serving contains four teaspoons of sugar, and one quarter pound of cherries.
It can be served equally well in individual cups or in a large trifle bowl; since everything tastes better outside I packed some into mason jars so we could enjoy it at the park.
Sealing the servings individually in mason jars also allows the cheesecake to be frozen and enjoyed later!
Ingredients:
100 grams butter
100 grams ground almond
100 grams whole wheat flour
50 grams brown sugar
Pinch of sea salt
400 grams cream cheese
75 grams white sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
2 pounds of cherry pitted and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Steps:
- Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Mix butter, ground almonds, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt into a coarse meal forms
- Spread mixture on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring once
- While almond mixture bakes cook cherries and lemon juice over medium low heat for 15 minutes or until cherries are soft and beginning to release juice
- Set crumble and cherries aside to cook
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest at high speed for five minutes, stopping 5 times to scrape down the sides of the bowl
- Transfer cream cheese mixture to fridge
- In the same bowl whip cream
- Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in four additions and return mixture to fridge
- Once all the components are cool (2-24 hours) assemble cheesecake with crumble at the base, cream cheese in centre and cherries on top
sweet and pea 