A showstopping dessert topped with ruby-red strawberries and pomegranates.

Recipe, styling & photos: Emma Boyd

Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS

For the base:
75g almonds
50g icing sugar
85g flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
120g butter, cubed

For the filling:
400g cream cheese
250g plain unsweetened
Greek-style yoghurt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
3 eggs

For the topping:
500g strawberries
100g pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons rosewater
baby mint leaves, to serve

METHOD

Heat oven to 180°C. To make the base, put the almonds in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and toast them over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle over half of the icing sugar and continue to toast until the sugar caramelises and coats the nuts. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Once cool, put into a small food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the flour, ginger and the rest of the sugar and process again. Add in the butter and process until it all comes together.

Line the bottom and sides of a springform tin with baking paper. Press the base mixture into the tin, then prick with a fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Turn the oven down to 160°C.

Put the cream cheese and yoghurt into a bowl and, with a stick blender, blend until smooth. Once smooth, add the sugar and vanilla and mix again. Then add the eggs one by one, processing after each addition and scraping the sides and bottom several times as you go. Once smooth, pour this mixture over the base and bake for 55-60 minutes or until set. When done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Once the cheesecake is cool, remove it from the tin and carefully transfer it to a cake plate or large, flat serving dish. Remove the tops of the strawberries and cut the large ones in half, leaving the small ones whole. Put them into a bowl along with the pomegranate arils and sprinkle with the icing sugar before pouring over the rosewater. Pile the dressed strawberries on the cheesecake, then scatter over the mint leaves and serve.

Love this story? Subscribe now!