Dessert: White Chocolate, Raspberry and Gingernut Cheesecakes laced with Butterscotch

White Chocolate, Raspbeery and Gingernut Cheesecakes laced with Butterscotch

This recipe is for one large cheesecake however sometimes it is nice to make individual ones, as seen in the pictures. I make them in a silicon muffin pan, so they are easy to get out (just run a knife around the outside of the cake and push on bottom of the pan - they will pop out easily)

Ingredients:

150g Gingernut biscuits

75g Butter, Melted

250 mL Cream
250 mL Cream Cheese
250g Mascarpone Cheese
125g Caster Sugar
2 Tablespoons Butterscotch (1 for Base, 1 for Topping)
500g White Chocolate, Melted
1 Cup Raspberries (Frozen or Fresh)

Process biscuits, butter and butterscotch in food processor and then press into a 25cm spring foam tin, lined with baking paper. Put in fridge.

Beat, with an electric beater, cream cheese, cream, mascarpone, sugar, chocolate and butterscotch until smooth. Place raspberries in bottom of base. Pour over cheese mixture and refrigerate for at least four hours, preferably overnight.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Baking: Raspberry and Chocolate Brownies

Raspberry and Chocolate Brownies

These are my favorite treat out of the tin. To make extra special swirl some melted white chocolate over the top before cutting into pieces.

Ingredients:

250g Butter, Melted but not hot (unsalted works nicely but salted will do)
1 ½ Cups Sugar
½ Cup Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
¾ Cup Dutched Cocoa
2 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
2 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste
450 g Good Quality Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa)
4/5 Cup Flour
1 Cup White Chocolate Chips (Optional)
1 Cup Raspberries

Beat butter, sugars, eggs, cocoa, vanillas together until pale and creamy.

Add dark chocolate and fold in.

Once combined, add white chocolate and flour and fold until just combined.

Spoon out into large tin (20 x 30cm). Use a knife to smooth out into an even layer.

Place berries scattered on top and gentle press in so still visible.

Bake for fifty-five to sixty minutes at 150C, until crunchy on top.

Allow to cool for 30 minutes before cutting.

Puddings: Butterscotch Crème Brulee (B&B Brulee)

Butterscotch & Berry Crème Brulee (B&B Brulee)

This is an adaption of a Ruth Pretty recipe. I have made it many times, including for Christmas a few years ago. It never ceases to turn out as expected and impress the crowds.

The finished product!

Ingredients:

6 Egg yolk, Whisked Well
¼ Cup Brown sugar, Firmly Packed
1 Cup Milk
2 Cups Cream
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Paste
1 Cup Frozen Berries/Plums (Optional)
½ Cup Sugar (Extra)

Method:

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Heat brown sugar, milk and cream in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

While brown sugar/cream mixture is heating, stir sugar and water over low heat in a heavy-base saucepan to dissolve. Increase with heat and bring to the boil, and do not stir.
(TIP: Use a silicon pastry brush dipped in water run around the sides of the pan which removes the sugar crystal build up and insures a nice smooth even toffee)

When ready to serve sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of sugar and use a blow torch to caramelise.

Carefully pour toffee into cream mixture (do this slowly so mixture does not spilt).

Whisk slowly the yolks into the mixture. Add vanilla beam paste, essence and salt.

Place a few frozen raspberries in the bottom of each ramekin. Follow this by pouring the mixture into the ramekins and placing them in a baymaire in the oven for 40 minutes.

Take brulee out and cool in fridge for at least four hours.