THE Cheesecake.

Honestly, hand on heart this is a killer desert and an absolute winner and showstopper. I can’t take all the credit, hug ups to Dish Magazine, Issue 106, The Christmas Issue. As usual, I did swap a few/modify/add a few bits to match what was available and what I had on hand. Once you have made it once, I am sure you can make it your own with personal touches. Don’t be scared!

Ingredients/Directions

Roasted Fruit

2 cups of Rhubarb**, about 2-3cm dice

2 cups of Strawberries, hulled and halved or so, similar size to rhubarb

2 TB vanilla extract

2 TB caster sugar.

Mix all of the above, tumble onto lined baking tray and bake in a normal oven at 180 for 20-25 minutes and set aside to cool.

**I couldn’t get rhubarb so used a mix of fresh strawberries and frozen raspberries

Base

1 Packet of plain biscuits (arrowroot, super wine, vanilla, krispie anything you have or like)

80gr Butter, Melted

Lemon/lime zest (totally optional)

Zzzzz, biscuits in a food processor till fine. Slowly add, in a stream the butter and zest, to combine

In a lined 23cm tin, tip the soil and press down to make the base, you want the edges to go up the side as far as you can. Once all even and compacted as well as you can, pop in the fridge to set.

Preheat your oven to160 standard bake. Clean your food processor.

Filling

625 grams cream cheese (2.5 pots)

200 grams sour cream (1 pot)

1 cup of white sugar (caster is good if you have it)

4 eggs

200 grams of white chocolate (1 block)

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

3 tablespoons custard powder

1 tablespoon water

Zzzz half the cream cheese with the half of the eggs first, till smooth, then the sour cream, Zzzz, then the rest. My processor was quite full, but that is great, enough to fill the tin and to feed the troops!

Over a pot of simmering water, in a bowl melt your chocolate. Carefully stir to combine and get an even melt.

I used Whittakers Blondie, which is caramelized white. I believe this gave a superior flavor to plain white. Much deeper and not as sicky sweet.

Turn your processor back on and slowly add the melted chocolate to the rest of the filling, you should have a beautiful, silky-smooth filling.

Take your prepared base out of the fridge, slowly tip your filling mix in so it is evenly covering all of the base and up the sides of the lining. It will go to the top, so make sure you have enough lining.

Put dollops of your roast fruit on the top. I followed a clock rule. 12,3 6, 9 and 1 in the center. If you have more, spot evenly.

Take a photo!

Bake

Pop your cheesecake in the oven, for 60-70 minutes. Check, it should still wobble a little. Turn oven down to 140 for 10 minutes. Turn oven off and open the door a little, this will allow it to cool slowly and not crack. Once cool enough to handle, pop into fridge to set for about 6 hours, overnight is better.

Take a photo!

You can serve with more roasted berries, cream, custard or whatever you like… but honestly, it is just delicious how it is 🙂 You can see the color is deep from the chocolate and the custard powder. Sublime! And yes, I did eat it… actually 3 slices!

Enjoy

In Progress