Strawberry Cream Cheese Parfaits

These look quite fancy, but are very easy to make. If you use a cream cheese that is low in fat, they are not even all that decadent. Just don't tell anyone and they will assume they are indulging! These have most of the qualities of cheesecake - especially if you use the graham cracker crumbs - but there too, they are much more easygoing than they seem, and aren't nearly as much work as cheesecake.

Strawberries are the Produce of the Month at An Italian in the US. There should be lots of strawberry based goodies there.

When strawberry season is over, make cream cheese parfaits with raspberries, cherries, apricots, peaches or grapes instead.

4 servings
20 minutes prep time


Cream Cheese Topping:
250 grams (1/2 pound) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
the finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
1/4 cup orange juice

Mix the sugar and orange zest into the cream cheese. Add the orange juice, a little at a time, stirring between each addition to avoid lumps. Keep the cheese mixture chilled until you are ready to assemble the parfaits.

To Assemble the Parfaits:
1 quart (1 litre) fresh strawberries
1/4 cup fine granola, or graham or other cookie crumbs

Rinse the berriesand drain them well. Hull them, cutting any large ones in half. Divide the berries in half, and put one quarter of the first half into each of 4 parfait glasses. Top with an equal portion (i.e. one-eighth) of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat with the remaining berries, and the remaining cream cheese mixture. Top with a tablespoon of granola or graham cracker crumbs.