This is an unusual cheesecake version. It is a no-bake recipe. This cheesecake is a creamy mousse made of white chocolate with pieces of candied ginger, and the ginger nuts biscuits complement the ginger flavour. I love how the sweetness and creaminess of the white chocolate contrasts the spiciness of the ginger. The toffee sauce tops it off perfectly. You can buy the stem ginger (or candied ginger) ready-made but I added the recipe for those who want to make it from scratch. The cheesecake keeps well in the fridge for a week (caramel sauce stored separately in a sealable container).
Ingredients:Makes 12 servings (23cm diameter cheesecake)
Cheesecake:- 1 1/2 packets ginger nuts biscuits (350g)
- 125g unsalted butter
- 200g white chocolate
- 200g whip it powder
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water
- 2 packets cream cheese (400g)
- 1 tbsp stem ginger, chopped finely (about 10g)
- 12 Raffaello truffles to decorate
Ginger Toffee Sauce:- 50g caster suger
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 120ml double cream
- 1 tbsp stem ginger , chopped finely (about 10g) + 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Break up the biscuits into crumbs and mix with the melted butter. Spread out in a round tin with a removable base. Flatten with the back of the spoon. Put in the oven for 5 minutes until the base is golden. Put aside to cool.
Mix whip it powder with milk and water, added little by little. Remove from mixing bowl and put aside. Melt the white chocolate. Break up the cream cheese with the mixer, then add the melted chocolate little by little. Add the whip it mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix well. Put the mix on the biscuit base and refrigerate overnight.
For the ginger toffee sauce, heat the sugar in a pan but be careful not to burn it. It will begin to form a golden caramel. Take the pan off the heat and mix in the butter. Pour in the cream, whisking all the time and add the stem ginger and tablespoon of syrup. Stir until all of the ingredients are combined and smooth.
Once cheesecake is set, decorate with the Raffaello chocolates. To serve drizzle the ginger toffee sauce over the cheesecake.
The lovely thing about this recipe is that you can do as much or as little as you like, you just need to have the same weights of each. This stem ginger (or candied ginger) can be used on ice creams as topping or in yoghurt. But the best use is of course with the White Chocolate and Ginger Cheesecake.
Directions:Peel your ginger and weigh it. Measure out the equivalent weight in caster sugar and put to one side. Slice your ginger into evenly sliced coins – not quite a centimetre thick is about right. Put your ginger in a pan only just large enough to accommodate it and cover by half an inch with cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer, partially covered for an hour until tender – depending on how supple your ginger was to begin with, this may take longer. Just test it with the point of a knife as you would for potatoes. Top up with water if it bubbles away before the ginger is cooked.
Once cooked and tender, and the water has reduced down to barely cover the ginger, add in your sugar and return to the heat, stirring to help dissolve. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat so it is gently bubbling until the water and sugar forms a syrup similar in texture to runny honey.
Spoon into a sterilised* jar and seal immediately. If not using immediately it should keep in a cool dark cupboard for a very long time. Once open, store in the fridge and try to keep the ginger chunks covered in syrup.
*To sterilise your jars you can put them for some seconds in boiling water then put in a low oven (using thongs) until dry. Use the jars whilst the preserves and the jars are still hot and seal immediately.
Original Recipe
A fresh pasta salad, very very simple but nonetheless so good! This dish is perfect for a picnic or a BBQ.
Baking brie results in a wonderfully melted cheese perfect to spread on toasted bread or use as a dip with crackers. This appetiser is perfect served with fresh fruit or conserve such as a fig spread.
Ingredients:Makes 2 servings (using a 6cm diameter cheese)- 1 brie cheese
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 sprig rosemary
Directions:Remove the top part of the cheese rind. Remove the rosemary leaves from the twig and sprinkle over the cheese. Drizzle with honey, place on a baking tray, and bake in a 200 degrees Celsius oven for about 15 minutes, or until throughly melted.
A quick simple recipe, rich and creamy. Serve with linguini.
A Maltese style sandwich. Simple toppings, amazing flavour! If you do not have the peppered goat cheese you can substitute with a normal mild goat cheese. If you have a sandwich grill you can avoid cooking the potatoes in advance and just place them immediately to toast in the grill.
A sweet-spicy Chinese dish. I couldn't find hoisin sauce so I replaced it with a garlic teriyaki sauce. I must say the flavour was amazing!
A Mediterranean twist to the classic hummus dip.
Ingredients:Makes about 2 cups- 1 can (300g) chick peas
- 8 sun dried tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp harissa
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
Directions:Put everything together in a container and blend until nearly smooth. To serve drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some paprika.
These rich puddings are the perfect accompaniment to tea. They are also seriously easy to do. Serve them plain (with the toffee of course), with ice-cream or with whipped cream. The pudding and the toffee keep well in the fridge in (separate) air-tight containers for about a week. While I used a muffin pan with quite large holes, these puddings will be just as great baked in muffin or cupcake pans. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients:Makes 6, 8.5cm diameter puddings
The Cake:- 170g dried, pitted dates
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Directions:Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Butter 6 wells of a pudding tin (or large muffin tin) and dust with flour, shaking out excess, set aside.
Add dates and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then add baking soda and boil, stirring occasionally, 1 minute longer. Remove from heat, cover saucepan with lid and rest 10 minutes, then puree (the water and dates) in a food processor or blender. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt for 20 seconds, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar until mixture become lighter in shade. Mix in egg then mix in egg yolk and vanilla extract. With mixer set on low speed, add in half of the flour mixture and mix until combined, then mix in pureed date mixture and finish by mixing in remaining half of the flour mixture.
Divide mixture among prepared cupcake pan, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle of a pudding comes out clean.
Meanwhile prepare toffee sauce (about halfway through the pudding cooking time so it's still warm for serving). In a small saucepan combine butter, cream and brown sugar. Heat mixture over medium-high heat stirring constantly until mixture reaches a boil, then allow to boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When done, cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes then run a butter knife around edges to loosen. Plate cakes, poke tops about 10 times with a toothpick then drizzle the warm toffee sauce over the tops.
If you are not serving them at once, store the puddings and the toffee sauce in air-tight containers in the fridge. Before serving, heat the puddings for about 30 seconds in the microwave until warm, and heat the toffee sauce until a bit runny.
Adapted from Original Recipe
A simple pasta dish which is very easy to prepare, but definitely does not lack the flavour! Perfect for a week-night dinner, and makes excellent left-overs for the next day.
Ingredients:Makes 4 servings- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 shallots, finely minced
- 130 grams (about 1 cup) black olives, pitted (I used Kalamata olives)
- 3 to 4 tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp tomato paste or concentrate
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- few tablespoons reserved pasta water (optional)
- 75 grams Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- a handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 200 g prosciutto di Parma
Directions:Set a pan over medium heat with olive oil. When oil is hot, lower heat to medium-low and sauté garlic and shallots until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium again, add olives, and cook for 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir until the alcohol has evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and butter until dissolved. Put the pasta in the pot and gently mix until each strand is coated in the sauce. Add a couple of tablespoons of reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too dry. Toss with Parmesan cheese and sprinkle with chopped parsley. To serve garnish with prosciutto slices.
Adapted from Original Recipe
