Smoked Cream Cheese with Strawberry Compote
Silky cold cream cheese smoked low and slow at 225F, then paired with a homemade strawberry compote made by reducing fresh berries with white sugar. The Demerara sugar caramelizes on top during smoking, creating a sweet crust. Serve warm with the thickened berry sauce pooled around the creamy center.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce cream cheese, full fat, cold block
- 2 Tablespoon Demerara sugar
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
- ¼ cup white sugar
Instructions
- 1
Preheat smoker to 225F
- 2
Place cream cheese in a heat-safe container and lightly score the top in a hashmark pattern
- 3
Arrange hulled and halved strawberries around the cream cheese
- 4
Sprinkle Demerara sugar over the cream cheese and strawberries
- 5
Place on top rack of smoker and smoke for 1 hour
- 6
Remove and transfer strawberries to a small pan
- 7
Sprinkle white sugar over the strawberries and bring to a boil
- 8
Reduce heat to medium and gently mash the strawberries
- 9
Skim off foam and cook until mixture slightly thickens
- 10
Allow to cool slightly and pour back around the smoked cream cheese
Tips
To keep the smoked cream cheese warm while reducing strawberries, place it in a preheated 250F oven
Good to Know
Refrigerate leftover compote up to 3 days in an airtight container. Cream cheese best enjoyed fresh.
Prepare strawberries (hull and halve) up to 4 hours ahead. Do not score or sugar the cream cheese until ready to smoke.
Serve warm. The smoked cream cheese should be at serving temperature when the warm compote is poured around it.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip scoring the cream cheese to avoid uneven sugar absorption
Do not skip skimming foam to avoid bitter, cloudy compote
Do not over-mash strawberries to avoid a grainy, separated sauce