These summer treats are just the thing to dazzle your guests at this weekends BBQ. What I love about these is not only do they look amazing, they only take around 15-20 minutes to prepare. This recipe can be easily adapted, so if you are pushed for time then don’t worry! Raid your biscuit tin for anything crunchy to go in the glasses such as gingernuts, bourbons, digestives whatever takes your fancy. That goes for the macerated strawberries too. No Prosecco? then add add your favourite tipple such as a flavoured Gin, Grand marnier or Elderflower cordial. The choice is yours.
Ingredients (makes 4)
Strawberry compote
- Strawberries 180g
- icing sugar 15g
- lemon juice 1/2 lemon
- Prosecco 50ml
Vanilla cheesecake
- whipping cream 180g
- vanilla pod 1/2
- caster sugar 60g
- Philadelphia 135g
Crunchy Granola base
- flaked almonds 40g
- pecans 40g
- pistachios 40g
- desiccated coconut 40g
- butter 25g
- honey 40g
Method
- Slowly melt the butter & honey
- Add the nuts & coconut and roast on a baking tray @170° for 12- 14 mins until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- Beat the cream cheese and caster sugar.
- Add the seeds of the vanilla pod to the whipping cream and half whip (until you can see a trails of the whisk in the cream).
- Carefully fold the vanilla cream in to the cream cheese mix and place in a piping bag.
- Wash the strawberries and remove the green then cut into quarters.
Assembly
About an hour before serving carefully dress the strawberries with a splash of Prosecco, a squeeze of lemon juice and a table spoon of icing sugar. Leave to macerate for 1 hour.
Similar to a trifle, build layers of granola, vanilla cheesecake and strawberry compote in any particular order you like!
Don’t forget to take a photo before you indulge