THIS month I am sharing with you a strawberry baked cheesecake made with soft goat’s cheese and goat’s yoghurt for a refreshing change from the norm.

Delicious, rich and refreshing, it’s the perfect accompaniment for a summer barbecue or get-together.

The basil and balsamic syrup really add some depth the cheesecake too, bringing out the taste of the tasty, fresh strawberries perfectly.

Goats’ cheese is also lower in fat than standard cheese and I love it, so I hope you enjoy this cheesecake twist as much as we do!

It’s difficult to resist a perfectly ripe strawberry, but did you know just how good they are for you?

The strawberry is one of the most popular berry fruits in the world.

There are more than 10 species of Fragaria that differ in flavour, size and texture.

They all have the same characteristic heart-shaped, red flesh and seeded coat together with small, regal, leafy green caps and stems that adorn their crowns.

Health-wise they’re great for you too: they are an excellent source of vitamins C and K as well as providing a good dose of fibre, folic acid and potassium.

Strawberries have a long history and have been enjoyed since the Roman times.

Native to many parts of the world, hundreds of varieties of strawberries exist due to crossbreeding techniques.

In 1714, a French engineer commissioned to Chile and Peru observed that the strawberry native to those regions was much larger than those found in Europe.

After cultivating in France, the end result was a large, juicy, sweet hybrid (the modern garden strawberry) that became extremely popular in Europe.

To enjoy UK grown strawberries however you just be quick, the strawberry season in the UK is short and runs from the end of May through July.

There are lots of pick your own farms locally too, which is great fun for all the family – my children love it!

Alternatively, head to your local farm shop to purchase some locally-grown punnets.

During my childhood, we would often have fresh strawberries for dessert after a meal, especially in the summer.

We sprinkled them with some sugar and enjoyed them a lot!

The craze now of course is to enjoy strawberries with balsamic reductions or syrups, it’s the perfect dessert. Sweet, peppery, sour and also a little salty.

Balsamic vinegar is my favourite vinegar too: the rich colour comes from being aged in wooden casks, often for decades.

Although made from grapes, balsamic vinegar isn’t derived from wine, it’s just grape juice, reduced and fermented using juice only from the Trebbiano grape.

If you haven’t tried balsamic syrup and strawberries together you must!

Just make sure you drizzle on this cheesecake just before serving, so the cake tastes and looks fresh.

The flavours are fantastic, making for an easy, fresh and healthy (ish) dessert!

* Visit keighleynews.co.uk, click on What’s On then Food & Drink to see Michelle’s previous recipes.