Christmas Cheesecake
Preparation 10 Minutes
Cook 1.5 hours Minutes
Serves 8-10
Method
Preaheat oven 160 degrees (140 degrees fan).
- Brush base and sides of 25cm springform pan with butter.
- Process biscuits, extra melted butter and almond meal in a food processor until fine crumb. Press into base and sides of pan.
- 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.
- 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
- Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread nuts evenly over tray.
- 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.
- Sprinkle with sea salt flakes then allow to set. Serve cheesecake topped with shards of broken nut toffee.
Ingredients
Base
1 packet Malt oβ 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
Easter Chocolate Bark
Grease and line a standard baking tray. Set aside.
Place each chocolate flavour in separate bowls. Microwave each bowl in 20 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted.
Divide the white chocolate into 3 separate bowls. Add a few drops of pink colouring to one and stir.
Add a few drops of purple colouring to the second bowl and stir.
Pour the milk chocolate into prepared tray, tilting the tray until the whole base is covered.
Spoon each of the coloured and plain white chocolate onto different spots on the chocolate. Sprinkle with Sunbeam mixed fruit.
Using a skewer, make swirls in the chocolate to create a marble effect. Decorate with chosen sprinkles and cool to set.
Cut or break up chocolate to serve. Great as a gift too!
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Cut cauliflower roughly into pieces, toss with half the oil and cumin. Season well. Spread onto a lined oven tray and roast at 180Β°C for 25 minutes or until tender.
- Heat remaining oil in a large pot. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is tender. Add roasted cauliflower pieces, potatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- When potatoes are tender, puree soup with a food processor or handheld blender, until smooth and creamy. Return to heat until required.
- For walnut crumb, heat oil in a frying pan and toast breadcrumbs and walnuts until golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in parsley and currants. Season well. Serve hot soup with a scattering of crumbs.
Sticky Date Christmas Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
TO MAKE THE PUDDING
1.Β Combine dates, mixed fruit, 280ml water, sugars, salt and butter in large saucepan.Β Bring to the boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8 mins.
2.Β Add bicarbonate of soda, stir well and allow to cool completely (preferably overnight).
3.Β Once completely cool, add eggs, flours, spices and rum.Β Mix well.
4.Β Generously grease inside the pudding bowl.Β Pour the mixture into tin then cover with a layer of baking paper and a layer of foil and secure tightly with kitchen string.
5.Β Place a small cooling rack or an upturned oven-safe dish into the base of a large saucepan.Β Place pudding bowl on top so that it is not directly touching the bottom of the pan.Β Fill saucepan with boiling water to come half way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Bring water to the boil then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 3 hours.Β Remove pudding from water, allow to cool completely before removing pudding from tin.
TO MAKE SAUCE
1.Β Combine cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until all ingredients combined.
2.Β Stir in salt.
30 Minute Christmas Pudding
- Place fruit and brand in microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
- Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift flour and mixed spice over butter mixture, then stir in breadcrumbs and fruit mixture. Mix well. Grease and flour a 1.5L microwavable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double layer or baking paper secured with kitchen string.
- Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 30 minutes, rotating the bowl after 20 minutes. Test with a skewer inserted into pudding. If it doesnβt come out clean, microwave at 5 minute intervals until done. Leave pudding to stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a plate.
Optional meringue peak: In a heatproof bowl combine 90g egg whites with 150g caster sugar, place over a small saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Use a stand mixer or handheld beater to whisk until very stiff peaks form (about 8-10 mins).Β Dollop the meringue on top of the pudding and use a kitchen blowtorch to toast.
Christmas Mud Cakes with Chocolate Ganache
- Preheat oven to 150ΒΊC (130ΒΊC fan-forced). Line 12 x β cup capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
- Place mixed fruit into a food processor with boiling water and blend to a fine paste. Transfer to a large saucepan with butter, chocolate, milk and brown sugar. Place over a medium heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the butter and chocolate has melted.
- Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer (or you can transfer to a clean bowl and use a hand mixer) and whisk in the eggs. Add flour mixture, cocoa, mixed spice and a generous pinch of salt. Mix until the batter is thick and smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared cases and smooth the surface. Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.
- Heat cream until hot and pour over chocolate. Mix until smooth and desired consistency achieved. Spread over mud cakes.
Mini Bombe Alaskas
Line 6 x 180ml dariole moulds (or 6 x 180ml capacity small dishes) with plastic wrap.*
Place icecream into a large bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 mins, or until soft (do not allow to completely melt).Β Β Add fruit, nuts and sherry and use a spatula to mix well.
Spoon the mixture evenly between the prepared moulds and freeze overnight or until firm.
Slice the madeira cake horizontally into three big slices, about 2cm thick.Β Β Use a cookie cutter (just bigger than the bases of the icecream moulds) to cut 6 rounds from the cake slices.Β
To make the meringue, combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.Β Β Whisk until stiff peaks form.
One at a time, carefully remove an icecream from the mould and place on top of a cake round.Β Β Working quickly, smooth meringue around the cake and icecream to completely cover then blowtorch until golden.Β Β Serve and repeat with remaining prepared icecreams.
