not all the strawberries made it to the photoshoot, some were too busy hanging out in my belly
Every Valentine’s Day, like some sort of developmentally-arrested but still highly-functioning madwoman, I make my husband a card.
No, I’m not putting a photo of it here. That’s private. And also kind of shameful, given my arts skillz (which are so bad they deserve to be spelt with a ‘z’).
This year I decided to go one better and make him his all-time favourite dessert because let’s face it, cards are nice n’ all but they aren’t edible and love starts in the belly.
Or at least it does with me.
When I informed hubby that food was his Valentine’s Day present, the words ‘strawberry’ and ‘cheesecake’ came out his mouth so fast I thought he’d asphyxiate before I had time to unwrap the cream cheese.
gratuitious food porn shot: aren't they pretty?!
And so, for all the lovers out there, and all the haters that need convincing, here is my Ain’t Love Awesome Strawberry Cheesecake
Ain’t Love Awesome Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
*adapted from Kitchen WenchCrust:
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3/4 cup almonds
- 1 tbsp sunflower seed butter (feel free to substitute with your favourite nut butter)
- 2 tsbps maple syrup
- Blitz the nuts in a food processor ’til they are a fine crumb. Mix in the nut butter and maple syrup and stir until it binds together.
- Spread the mixture on the bottom of a 24in springform cake pan and chill until needed.
Filling:
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 16oz full-fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsps honey
- 3 eggs
- 1 medium punnet strawberries, sliced (this is around 3 1/2 cups)
- Make sure your cheese, sour cream and eggs are at room temperature to start. This will help with the blending.
- Using an electric whisk on a low setting, churn together the cream cheese, vanilla extract, sour cream and honey until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, being careful not to overbeat (too much air will crack the cheesecake)
- Pour half the mixture into a separate container and set aside.
- Puree the sliced strawberries in a food processor or blender until they are a thick jam consistency. Stir this into one half of the cheese mix.
- Began pouring the filling onto the base in alternate layers – first the plain mixture, then the strawberry one. This is more a question of looks than taste so go crazy. The more swirly, the better.
- Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
Bonus tips: since it is Valentine’s and I love each and every person that reads this blog (thanks!), here are some extra-special-cook’s-bonus-tips:
-Don’t be tempted to open the oven door before the time’s up. The drop in temperature might crack your cake.
-When the cake’s ready it should be firm at the edges but wobbly in the middle. Never fear - it’ll set while it cooks.
-To really cover your bases, don’t remove the cake from the oven when it’s cooked. Just leave the door open so it can gradually cool.
That’s it folks, happy Valentine’s to all 
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 14, 2012Thanks to Jill at http://www.realfoodforager.com for hosting on her amazing recipe sharing forum, check it out!
http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-february-14-2012/
Missus Tribble
/ February 14, 2012I’m salivating here, and I don’t even *like* desserts!
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 14, 2012Thanks! Hopefully this will be the cake that converts you to the wonderful world of dessert….JOIN US
janetsiharath
/ February 14, 2012That looks really really good!
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 14, 2012Hi Janet, thank you – I just ate a piece not ten minutes ago so I can confirm it tastes as good as it looks! Mind you, I might need another piece…just to make sure
sugaredpecan
/ February 14, 2012Love this crust!
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 14, 2012Thank you! I don’t eat grains (they are not friends with my belly) so I have to get creative. Really pleased with the way it came out…
Thanks for commenting, have a great Valentine’s Day
Jill@RealFoodForager.com
/ February 14, 2012Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. This was very interesting! Hope to see you next week!
Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-february-14-2012/
Pasta Princess
/ February 14, 2012Mmmm I love strawberries!! And cheesecake is a given!
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 14, 2012I know – cheesecake is the answer to all life’s problems
Thanks for checking it out!
thoughtsappear
/ February 15, 2012Love is letting me eat 2 slices of that cheesecake. Yum!
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 15, 2012Hooray for love! The greatest test of course will be letting my beloved have the last slice…not making any promises on that one.
Choc Chip Uru
/ February 15, 2012Cheesecake looks fantastic – combination of my favourite fruits and flavours
Awesome blog!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Healthiest Natural Sugars Muesli Bars
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 15, 2012Thank you Choc Chip and right back atcha!
An Irish Village Pantry
/ February 16, 2012Those strawberries look fab, so does the cheesecake. Hubbie made me a card this year. Nearly fell out of my standing. Thought the children made it, then realised he forgot to buy one. Was sweet though. Sheelagh x.
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 16, 2012Ahahaha! It’s very sweet that he made the effort but hilarious that his artwork is on a par with your kids
Amanda
/ February 21, 2012So the question is, will this cheesecake satisfy those that like thick, NY style, or is it more fluffy? I can’t tell from the picture, but it sure looks divine!!
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 21, 2012Mmmm, good question. It’s definitely not as dense as a NY version. In fact, it’s so light I gobbled down two slices before my belly felt it. If you wanted it a bit thicker I’d up the egg count and probably the sweetener. I’m not big on sugar so this is quite mild – it lets the strawberry shine through.
Thanks for checking it out!
goodfooding
/ February 21, 2012Dear mother of Buddha this looks good!
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 21, 2012Thank you goodfooding..I read your comment and laughed so hard tea came out my nose (I was drinking it at the time, I don’t just randomly spurt tea out my orifices)
I’m tempted to re-name it Mother of Buddha Strawberry Cheesecake now in your honour.
goodfooding
/ February 22, 2012Ooops sorry you lost all that good tea, I hate wasting food.
I am super duper honoured by your suggestion to change the name of your awesome cake but “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” so “Swirly Buddha”, “Holy mother of Buddha”, “Valentine Buddha”, your cake stays awesome.
Jessica
/ February 24, 2012Heaven. I LOVE strawberries and the hubs LOVES cheese cake. I might have to try this one day. Printing and tucking away in the “recipes to try” book. LOL
thingsmybellylikes
/ February 24, 2012Thanks jessica. You two sound like a match made in heaven!