Maple Berry Cheesecake Toast

Ever since making my daughter’s birthday cheesecake this weekend, I haven’t stopped thinking about the lemon and berry combo. So this morning I did the lazy version on toast with cottage cheese, maple syrup, and dark chocolate. It really tasted like cheesecake!

Ingredients

• 1 slice sourdough bread, toasted
• 3 tbsp cottage cheese or ricotta
• Fresh strawberries and blackberries
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Maple syrup
• 1 tsp dark chocolate shavings

Assembly

Spread the cottage cheese or ricotta over the toasted sourdough.
Top with fresh lemon zest, then scatter over the strawberries and blackberries.
Drizzle with maple syrup and finish with dark chocolate shavings.

5 simple ways to stop toast from going cold

Few disappointments are as quietly annoying as perfectly good toast going cold before you get to eat it. You toast it just right, butter ready, then somehow it’s lukewarm by the time you sit down.

Toast loses heat quickly because it has a large surface area and little insulation, so the warmth escapes fast once it’s out of the toaster. Understanding why and how to slow that process can make your toast more enjoyable every time.

1. Warm the plate first

A cold plate pulls heat straight out of toast. Warming the plate helps slow that process and keeps toast warm once it’s served. You can place plates in a low oven for a minute, or rinse them with hot water and dry them thoroughly before use.

2. Stack slices briefly

If you’re making more than one slice, stacking the toast for a short moment once it comes out of the toaster can help keep it warm. Toast cools fastest when it’s on its own, and stacking helps the slices hold onto heat. Rotate the stack once to reduce steam buildup on one side.

3. Use a clean tea towel

Loosely wrapping toast in a clean cotton tea towel helps trap warmth while allowing steam to escape. This keeps toast warm without turning it soft or soggy. Avoid airtight covers, which trap moisture and quickly ruin texture.

4. Butter closer to eating

Butter melts quickly and helps heat escape. If timing allows, wait a minute before buttering, or butter just before eating. This helps prevent toast from cooling too fast and improves texture.

5. Hold toast in a low oven

If you’re making toast for more than one person, a low oven works well. Set it to around 80–100 °C and place toast directly on the rack for short holding. Avoid foil, which traps steam and softens toast.

Bonus caution: what not to do

To avoid cooling issues, skip microwaving toast (it makes it chewy), covering toast with foil right after toasting, or leaving toast near a cold window. These all speed up heat loss.

Get inspired with our toast recipes

Once you’ve mastered keeping toast warm, make something delicious with it. Try some of our favourite toast recipes:

• Caramelised Banana & Nut Butter Toast: a simple breakfast treat
• Sourdough Pizza Toast: an absolute favourite
• Poached Egg, Avocado, Feta Cheese on Sourdough Toast Recipe: perfect for brunch

Caramelised Banana & Nut Butter Toast

This recipe is a taste and texture explosion for sweet toast lovers! The combination of sweet caramelised bananas and rich nut butter, with the crunch of toast and granola, makes for a decadent breakfast or snack. Ideal for sharing, alongside a fruit salad or plain yoghurt.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of sourdough bread
• 2 young, but not green, bananas
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla (or alternatively you can use 2 tablespoons of ‘Golden Glow’ Honey Butter)
• 2 tablespoons of Verena’s Kitchen ‘Cinnamon Swirl’ Nut Butter
• 2 tablespoons of crunchy granola
• 1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon to serve

Method:

1. Heat a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the coconut oil mixture or honey butter to the pan, spreading it evenly.
3. Slice the bananas lengthwise and place them face down in the pan. Cook for 90 seconds or until softened and golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 90 second.
4. While the bananas are caramelising, toast the slices of sourdough bread.
5. Spread 1 tablespoon of Verena’s nut butter on each slice of toast.
6. Once the bananas are ready, gently place them on top of the nut butter-covered toast.
7. Generously sprinkle with granola for added crunch.

Enjoy this decadent treat as a luxurious breakfast or a delightful snack, perfectly complemented by a fresh fruit salad or a bowl of plain yoghurt.