Triple Berry Protein Bake

Creamy, naturally sweet, and protein-packed with a soft cheesecake-like texture and bursts of juicy berries in every bite.

Ingredients

• 450 g full-fat cottage cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 50 g almond flour
• 85 g honey or maple syrup *(or equivalent sugar-free sweetener to taste)*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 300 g mixed berries *(strawberries/blueberries/raspberries; fresh or frozen)*
• Butter or neutral oil spray, for greasing
• Pinch of salt *(pantry staple, optional but recommended)*

Method

• 1

  Step 1: Preheat & prepare pan

  Preheat oven to **175°C (conventional)**. Grease an **20 cm or 23 cm square baking dish** (about 8×8" or 9×9") with butter or oil spray, including the corners.

• 2

  Step 2: Blend the base until smooth

  Add **cottage cheese** and **eggs** to a blender or food processor. Blend until **completely smooth** (no visible curds), about **30–60 seconds**, scraping down the sides once if needed. This is the key to the custardy, cheesecake-like texture.

• 3

  Step 3: Mix the batter

  Pour into a bowl. Add **almond flour, honey/maple (or sweetener), vanilla, lemon zest, baking powder**, and a **pinch of salt**. Stir just until fully combined and smooth.

• 4

  Step 4: Fold in berries

  Gently fold in the **mixed berries**. If using frozen berries, add them straight from frozen (no thawing). Mix minimally to avoid tinting the batter purple.

• 5

  Step 5: Bake

  Pour into the prepared dish and level the top. Bake **35–40 minutes**, until the top is **lightly golden** and the centre is **just set** (a small jiggle is fine; it firms as it cools). A skewer inserted near the centre should come out **mostly clean** (a little moist is OK).

• 6

  Step 6: Cool to set, then slice

  Cool in the pan **20–30 minutes** before slicing for neat pieces. Serve slightly warm or chill for a firmer, sliceable texture.

Tips

• **Frozen berries tip:** If your frozen berries are very icy, toss them briefly in a bowl to knock off excess ice crystals before folding in (helps prevent extra moisture).
• **Sweetness control:** For a more “breakfast” vibe, use **70 g** honey/maple; for more dessert-like, use the full **85 g**.
• **Texture preference:** For an extra-smooth result, blend in the almond flour too (step 2), then stir in baking powder and fold berries by hand.
• **Storage:** Refrigerate in an airtight container for **up to 4 days**. It also freezes well (wrap slices) for **up to 2 months**; thaw overnight in the fridge.
• **Serving ideas (using pantry/simple add-ons):** Great plain, or with a light drizzle of honey/maple and extra berries if you have them.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)