Christmas Cheesecake

Preparation 10 Minutes

Cook 1.5 hours Minutes

Serves 8-10

Method

Preaheat oven 160 degrees (140 degrees fan).

  1. Brush base and sides of 25cm springform pan with butter.
  2. Process biscuits, extra melted butter and almond meal in a food processor until fine crumb. Press into base and sides of pan.
  3. Combine ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, cornflour, butter, eggs and vanilla bean paste in food processor. Blend for 2 mins then fold through sour cream and fruit.
  4. Pour filling over base, cover with foil and bake for 1.5 hours. Remove cake from oven, allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating overnight.

To make Toffee

  1. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread nuts evenly over tray.
  2. Add sugar to a medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar completely dissolves then remove from heat immediately and pour over nuts.
  3. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes then allow to set. Serve cheesecake topped with shards of broken nut toffee.

Ingredients

Base

1 packet Malt o’ Milk biscuits

250g unsalted butter, melted

250g Sunbeam Almond Meal

Filling

300g ricotta

300g cream cheese

1 1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup cornflour

85g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease tin

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

400mL sour cream

300g Sunbeam Mixed Fruit

Nut Toffee

40g Sunbeam Natural Almonds

40g Skinless Hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt flakes

Recipe Collection

Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake

In a large bowl, combine mixed fruit, cherries, nuts, apple, golden syrup and liquor.Β Β Mix well, cover and allow to stand overnight (or up to 24 hours for amazing flavour).

Preheat oven to 150ΒΊC (130ΒΊC fan forced).Β Β Very generously grease the bundt tin, ensuring butter is in all creases.Β 

Add sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment.Β Β Beat until fluffy and pale.Β Β With the motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next.Β 

Add flour and spices, beat on low until just combined.Β Β Add orange zest and soaked fruit mixture and beat until just combined.Β 

In a small bowl mix together orange juice and bicarbonate of soda, add to the cake batter and beat until just incorporated.

Spoon batter into the prepared bundt tin, using a spatula to press mixture into any crevices and flatten the surface.

Bake for 2 ΒΌ to 2 Β½ hours or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre.Β Β Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to remove and allow to cool completely.

Rocky Road

Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin.

Mix together raisins, cherries, marshmallows and pistachios.Β Β Pour 1 cup of the mixture into the base of the prepared tin.

Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, microwave for 30 seconds, stir then microwave in 10 second bursts until melted.Β Β Allow to cool for about 5 mins before adding the remaining fruit and nut mixture.Β Β Toss to coat then pour into the prepared tin, gently flattening the surface.Β Β Refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours).

Remove from tin and slice into 4 long rows.Β Β Wrap in cellophane for Christmas gifting.

Sunbeam Traditional Fruit Cake

You will need a 21cm round tin for this recipe (base measurement)

  1. Soak fruit overnight in brandy, if you warm the brandy it infuses faster and you can soak for a few hours instead of overnight.
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, maple syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil then remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water. Cool for 15 minutes. Add lightly beaten eggs, mixing thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours, spices and vanilla essence.
  3. Preheat oven to 160ΒΊC. We used a 21cm bundt tin. Spoon batter into the prepared tin, using a spatula to smooth the surface. Bake for up to 75 to 90 minutes or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre. Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a cooling rake to remove. Allow to cool completely.

TIP: Liquor can be substituted with flavoured syrup or orange juice.

Optional cinnamon burnt buttercream:Β  Heat 500g butter in a large frypan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a deep golden colour.Β  Pour the butter and milk solids into a heatproof bowl and refrigerate until hard.Β  Remove burnt butter from fridge for 1 hour to soften then add 250g of the butter to a stand mixer and beat for 4-5 mins until creamy.Β  Add 320g sifted icing sugar mixture, Β½ tsp ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp milk and beat for a further 6 mins or until light and fluffy.

Sunbeam Banana Bread with Sultanas

Preheat oven to 180Β°C (160Β°C fan-forced). Grease a 15cm x 25cm loaf pan; line base with baking paper.
Beat butter and sugar in small bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Transfer mixture to large bowl; using wooden spoon, stir in sifted dry ingredients, banana, sultanas and milk. Spread mixture into pan
Bake cake about 50 minutes. Stand cake 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.

Toast & enjoy!

NoteΒ | You need 2 large overripe bananas for this recipe because they mash easily and are the most flavourful. The third banana cut in half and lay over mix before baking. We sprinkled a 1tbsp brown sugar over mix too.

Panforte

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180Β°C (160Β°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan.

    Place sugar, honey and chocolate in a large saucepan and gently heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in the raisins, figs, cherries, cranberries and nuts. Mix well.

    Add flour, cocoa and spices to mixture and working quickly mix it together until all combined. You may need to wear a thick rubber glove. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before removing from pan to cool completely.

Spiced Oat Slice

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180Β°C (160Β°C fan-forced). Line an 18 x 28cm slice tray. Place honey and butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until butter is melted.
  2. Place oats, dates, sultanas, apricots, seeds and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Pour in the melted honey mixture and mix well. Press into prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into bars.

Notes:
Lightly wipe your knife blade with a little oil when cutting dates. It will ensure the dates don’t stick to the knife and making cutting easier.

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