Plate Expectation: Strawberry and almond cheese cake

This cake is the answer to a cheese cake without the richness. The cheese mixture bake with sponge studs the cake with creamy pockets of deliciousness – lovely for afternoon tea in the garden.

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/Gas mark 4.
2. Grease and line the base and sides of a deep 23cm loose based cake tin.
3. 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..
4. Whisk together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds, yoghurt, vanilla extract and salt until smooth
5. Combine the strawberry jam and chopped strawberries together.
6. Scrape half the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin, then cover with all strawberry mixture.
7. 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.
8. Cover with the remaining cake mixture, being careful not to disturb the cheese cake and strawberry mixture below.
9. Sprinkle over with toasted almonds and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer  comes out clean.
10. Cool for 20 minutes in the tin before turning out.To serve the stylish way: Garnish with sprigs of mint and wedges of lemon.

Ingredients

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

For the cheese cake blobs

• 200g medium fat cream cheese
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 egg white
• Preparation time
• 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour – Serves  8-10

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