Denise says:

I love this black and white combination of blackberries and cheese. Make a day in advance so it has time to chill and the flavours to merge. The secret to its light texture is to cooking the cake on a low slow light which also helps to prevent cracking. Decorate just before serving for best results.

Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes plus 2 hours to cool
Serves: 10 people

Ingredients:

Base
200g tea biscuits
75g toasted flaked almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract
150g melted butter

Filling
900g medium fat soft cream cheese
200g soft brown sugar
75g plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
200ml sour cream
250g blackberry jam

25g toasted flaked almonds

100g fresh blackberries
Icing sugar and cream to serve

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 200 C/ 180 Fan / Gas mark 6.
2) Line and grease a loose based 23 cm cake tin with baking parchment paper.
3) Place the base ingredients in a food processor and whizz together to form a fine crumbled mixture.
4) Transfer to the lined baking tin, pack and firmly bake for 10 minutes.
5) Whisk the cream cheese and sugar together until thick. Add the flour, vanilla extract, eggs and finally the sour cream and whisk again to combine.
6) Spoon the mixture into the tin with dollops of jam as you go. Smooth the top as gently as possible.
7) Bake for 10 minutes and then scatter over 25g flaked almonds.
8) Decrease the heat to 110C/ 90C fan/ ¼ gas for a further 35 minutes.
9) Turn off the oven and leave to cool for about 2 hours. Transfer to the fridge to chill over night.
10) Remove from the tin and carefully peel away the baking parchment paper.

To serve the stylish way: Dust with icing sugar and decorate with fresh blackberries.
Tagged in: Almonds, Cream Cheese, Picnic, Shavuot, Vanilla