Strawberry Cheesecake Icing and Strawberry Reduction

Well, what do you know - it's Sunday, and here's a recipe! But it's sort-of only half a recipe ... It's just  icing. And a strawberry reduction. So actually, its a recipe and a half. Bonus!

You can use the strawberry reduction on its own in or over cheesecake,  ice-cream, or any number of deserts.
Mixed into the icing (recipe below) pair it with vanilla or chocolate cupcakes (or vanilla/ chocolate marbled cupcakes) or even use it as their hidden centre; or as a fill for macarons...
 Too many choices for my end-of-term brain, so you choose, ok?!

I'm calling it Strawberry Cheesecake Icing even though it isn't, strictly speaking, cheesecake, but that just sounds better than "cream cheese icing with strawberry reduction", doesn't it?

Strawberry Cheesecake Icing:

Strawberry Reduction:
250g ripe strawberries (approx 12-15 strawberries)
(2 tbs white sugar*)

*Omit the sugar if using the reduction in the icing as below, but include it if you're going  to use the reduction on its own.

Puree the strawberries using a blender or food processor.
Simmer in a saucepan until reduced to the consistency of tomato paste.
Refrigerate to cool it before using in the icing.
(May also be frozen for longer storage).

Icing: 
100g butter
85-100g icing sugar (depending on how sweet you like it).
250g cream cheese (use the dense kind, like Lancewood / Philadelphia/ Woolworths low fat cream cheese) 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry reduction


Beat the butter until soft and creamy. Sift in the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
Beat in the cream cheese and vanilla - don't over-beat.
Fold in the strawberry reduction.
Pipe onto, or into cooled cupcakes or between macaron shells.

Have a sweet week : )

xxM