Brunches Recipes - Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

oil spray

• 250 g (1 pun net) strawberries, hulled

• 125 g (1/2 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

• 85 g (3 oz) light cream cheese

• 1 tablespoon strawberry liqueur

• 175 g (6 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

• 1 egg

• 125 ml (1/2 cup) skim milk

• icing (confectioners') sugar, to dust

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/ Gas 4) Lightly spray six 125 ml (1/2 cup) non-stick muffin holes with oil. Set aside six small strawberries.

2. Put half the sugar in a bowl with the cream cheese and mix together well. Put the remaining strawberries in a blender or food processor with the strawberry liqueur and remaining sugar, and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve to remove the strawberry seeds.

3. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a large bowl and stir in the butter, orange zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl. beat the egg and milk together, then add to the dry ingredients and mix well until combined. Do not over mix.

4. Spoon half of the mixture into the muffin holes, then add a strawberry and a teaspoon of the cheese mixture. Top with the remaining muffin mixture and bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked and golden.

5. Remove from the tins and cool slightly. Put a muffin on each serving plate. dust with icing sugar and serve drizzled with the strawberry sauce.