Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits

I am so excited for strawberry season to be starting again! I was not a fan of strawberries when I was younger, but have really grown to love them (still warming up to other berries). These Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits were one of the first recipes on my list to make with the new influx of strawberries in my weekly CSA box. There is a little prep work to create the different layers of the parfait, but they can be made ahead of time. The work was definitely worth it. This is a new favorite for me and Chad.

I made the crumble first. Flour, sugar, butter, oats, and almonds are combined, baked, then crumbled before storing in an airtight container. The macerated strawberries are made next and stored in the refrigerator. I prepared the cheesecake filling last and this can also be stored in the refrigerator. Don’t assemble the parfaits until right before serving. This recipe makes six parfaits, so Chad, Evan, and I enjoyed these as nightly desserts for nearly 2 days.

The crumble can be made a couple of days ahead of time, but I don’t recommend making the cheesecake or macerated strawberries any longer than a day ahead. The longer the macerated strawberries sit, the more the juice is extracted and eventually the strawberries will lose their texture.

Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
Adapted from Delicious Everyday
6 Servings

Crumble:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons rolled oats
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, cold

Macerated Strawberries:
14 ounces (400 grams) strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons orange liqueur

Cheesecake:
3/4 cup (150 grams) caster sugar
1/4 cup water
4 large strawberries, diced
14 ounces (400 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces (250 grams) mascarpone cheese, room temperature

Topping:
Sliced strawberries
Mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, rolled oats, and almonds. Dice the butter and cut in using a dough blender or your fingers until the largest pieces are the size of a pea. Spread out on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven until golden, 8-10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, crumble into an airtight container. Store, covered, until ready to use.

In a medium bowl, combine sliced strawberries with sugar and orange liqueur. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in diced strawberries. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

In a food processor, add cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and strawberry infused syrup. Process until smooth.

In 6 parfait glasses, add a layer of the macerated strawberries with juice. Top with cheesecake mixture, then crumble. Add another layer of strawberries, then cheesecake mixture. Garnish with 2-3 strawberry slices and mint leaves. Serve immediately.