Christmas Cheesecake

Preparation 10 Minutes

Cook 1.5 hours Minutes

Serves 8-10

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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

Fruit & Nut Log Salami

In a dry pan on medium heat gently toast the slithered almonds till slightly brown, then set aside to cool.

Place the finely chopped dates and apricots pistachios, ginger & biscuits in a bowl.

Add the almonds, currants, cranberries Blend until well mixed, add melted chocolate & condensed milk and stir till combined.

Turn out onto cling film. Roll and shape into a log. Chill for at least 4 hours.

To decorate tie with bakers string roll in powdered sugar and wrap in baking paper.

Mini Indulgent Puddings

Preheat oven to 150°C

  1. Combine fruit, jellied cranberry sauce, brandy and spices in a large bowl, cover and leave to stand overnight.
  2. Brush ten 1-cup pudding basins (ramekins) with melted butter and line base with baking paper.
  3. Mix eggs, butter, brown sugar and flours until well combined, then stir through fruit mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared basins.
  4. Cut a large circle of foil and baking paper and place over each pudding, foil side up. Secure tightly with kitchen string.
  5. Place pudding in a large saucepan and add enough boiling water to fill halfway up the sides. Cover and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 11⁄4 hours, replenishing water when needed.
  6. Remove from water and store well wrapped until Christmas.

Sultana & Date Scones

Preheat oven to 220°C (210°C fan-forced).
Line scone tray with non-stick baking paper. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Add butter and rub in lightly with fingertips.
Add sugar, sultanas & dates and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Add beaten egg and almost all of the milk. Mix quickly with a flat bladed knife to a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Press or roll out to form a round about 2cm thick.
Cut dough into rounds using a floured plain 5cm cutter. Place scones together, without touching, on prepared tray and brush with extra milk. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Australian Ice-cream Pudding

Preheat oven to 180oC.

Brush a 2 litre pudding basin with vegetable oil, then line with plastic wrap, trying to keep wrap smooth without wrinkles. Place in the freezer to chill. In a bowl combine Sultanas, Raisins, cranberries, apricots, Macadamias and orange liqueur. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Place softened ice cream in a large bowl stir in soaked fruit. Fold in whipped cream and pour mixture into prepared pudding basin. Place in the freezer and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

To prepare orange cake, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in Almond Meal, orange juice and rind. Pour into a greased and paper lined 20cm cake tin and bake for 1 hour. Allow too cool in the tin, before turning out onto a board.

To finish pudding, ease ice-cream pudding from basin and place on top of cake. Trim the cake edges if required and serve cut into thick slices.

Moroccan Chicken with Raisins, Almonds and Honey

Pat chicken dry with paper towel, and sprinkle both sides of meat with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil into a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat.

When oil is shimmering, add half the chicken pieces and cook 5 – 7 mins per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Reduce heat to medium, and add onion, garlic, ras el hanout, cinnamon stick, and ginger to the hot oil. Stir well, then cook for 5 mins, until onions have started to soften.

Return chicken and any resting juices to the pot. Add stock, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1.5 hrs, until the chicken is tender.

Remove cinnamon stick and add raisins and honey to the pot. Gently stir to combine and increase heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, for a further 30 – 45 min, until the sauce has reduced and the raisins are plump. Stir through lemon juice.

Garnish with almonds and parsley. Serve with crusty bread, rice, or couscous.

Gingerbread Almond Wreath

  1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a 22cm ring tin.

  2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

  3. Stir in the almond meal, coconut, bi-carb and spices. Mix well, then stir in the currants and sultanas. Pour into prepared pan and scatter the top with flaked almonds. Bake for 55-60 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

  4. Serve on a platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs and fill the cavity with raspberries.
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