Strawberry Vanilla Neufchâtel

A while back I posted on making your own Chocolate Neufchâtel – a chocolate cream cheese spread. My initial reason for making the chocolate version from scratch many years ago was because the chocolate Neufchatel I purchased once was terribly expensive.

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I haven’t seen it around anymore, although I spotted a variety on IGourmet.com this morning. It’s made by Westfield Farm, and it’s purely a chocolate-flavored goat cheese. Pure bliss!

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In any case, chocolate Neufchâtel is wonderful to serve for something slightly sweet on a table of hors d’oeuvres, as is this strawberry version. I use the name neufchâtel only because it sounds nicer than cream cheese. They’re both firm and creamy, although American cream cheese also contains cream; the taste difference is negligible.

I had a little leftover jam from when I used my new jam and jelly maker last week, and decided to use it to make the strawberry cream cheese. I could have also added some goat cheese for a little zing, like I did with my chocolate version, but today’s will be only cream cheese.

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Besides being delicious, strawberry cream cheese/Neufchâtel is very pretty, especially in the spring and summer for parties and showers. You can make a very similar strawberry cream cheese with sweetened fresh strawberries, or a not-too-sweet strawberry jam.

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Strawberry  Vanilla  Neufchâtel

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Place the cream cheese and butter in a medium-sized bowl and add the jam.

Blend the ingredients together until they’re smooth.

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Today I’m going to make the cream cheese into a log form, so I let the mixture chill for about 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on a counter, and plop the strawberry cream cheese onto the plastic. Working carefully, with your fingers underneath the plastic wrap, carefully form the cream cheese into a log shape, wrapping it in the plastic at the same time. If it’s not working properly, you probably need to chill the cheese more.

When ready to serve, unwrap the cheese and place on a serving platter. The plastic should come off easily; the butter helps with that step.

Let the log warm to room temperature before actually serving. Serve with water crackers or crisps or bread.

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As you can see, it’s very spreadable.

You could sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top, toasted walnuts, candied pecans, or pearl sugar. Or, if you wish, you could also add a little more of the jam on top.

But I really like it as is, with just the slight sweetness of the strawberries!

note: Taste the cream cheese when you’re making it, because the flavor of the resulting spread, no matter what shape you form it in, will taste the same. If you want more sweetness, add some sieved powdered sugar. Don’t go crazy with adding the jam; in fact, I wouldn’t use any more of the jam to cream cheese and butter ratio than I did. Otherwise you run the risk of the cream cheese not firming up. Jam doesn’t firm up – cream cheese and butter do!

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

21 Comments

  1. Renee's Bistro April 9, 2015 at 10:36 AM - Reply

    This is a wonderful idea!!!! I will give this a try :-)

  2. Main St. Cuisine April 9, 2015 at 12:49 PM - Reply

    I took one look at your photos of the strawberry-vanilla cream cheese and I thought “spring parties!” Topping it off with additional jam is very pretty and so are the addition of the fresh flowers. By the way, chocolate flavored goat cheese sounds just perfect for my next book club gathering. I’ve not tried it (but want to)!

    • chef mimi April 9, 2015 at 1:04 PM - Reply

      Chocolate and goat cheese go so well together. If you don’t have a recipe, check mine out, it’s called Chocolate Neufchatel, and you can increase the ratio of goat cheese to the cream cheese, or substitute it completely. So so good!

      • Main St. Cuisine April 9, 2015 at 1:16 PM

        That sounds wonderful, Chef Mimi! I will definitely try it. Thank you! :-)

  3. cristinavintu April 9, 2015 at 1:49 PM - Reply

    I will try it…looks amasing!!! :*

  4. hotlyspiced April 10, 2015 at 1:59 AM - Reply

    Amazing. And just so few ingredients. This really is very pretty. I just love the colour xx

    • chef mimi April 10, 2015 at 8:30 AM - Reply

      Yes, it’s very simple and very delightful!

  5. Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward April 10, 2015 at 10:46 PM - Reply

    Beautiful photos and oh the sliced bread! So gorgeous! You are inspiring. And my cheese BFF, for sure. ;-) Gosh, don’t try to keep us away from cheese.

  6. dianeskitchentable April 11, 2015 at 12:47 PM - Reply

    That looks so pretty! I’d like to be able to say Neufchatel myself but I can’t figure it out…so I guess I just have to go with “fancy cream cheese”.

    • chef mimi April 11, 2015 at 8:45 PM - Reply

      I just write it – it don’t pronounce it!!!

  7. anotherfoodieblogger April 11, 2015 at 1:52 PM - Reply

    So very pretty! I love your addition of the flowers. Perfect for a spring brunch.

  8. sakinah April 11, 2015 at 6:33 PM - Reply

    Reblogged this on Cappuccino.

  9. myhomefoodthatsamore April 14, 2015 at 4:56 PM - Reply

    It makes one happy just looking at it ! And I don’t even have much of a sweet tooth ! :)

    • chef mimi April 14, 2015 at 5:46 PM - Reply

      I know what you mean. I hardly ever click on sweets. But you can control the sweetness when you make these, which I like. I like nothing cloyingly sweet!

  10. carla @ eat sweet. by carla sue April 17, 2015 at 1:05 AM - Reply

    Wow, this looks gorgeous! Beautiful presentation, and I can imagine it must have been delicious! I’ve never heard of this before, so thank you for sharing.

    • chef mimi April 17, 2015 at 9:29 AM - Reply

      Thanks! It all stems from the chocolate version i bought a million years ago. but home-made is way less expensive, and you can control the sweetness.

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