A little slice of heaven.

 For the first time in the longest time, I'm snuggled on the couch with a cup of English Breakfast and a Scotch Finger....bliss! Being back at work full time now and juggling all that goes with being a working mummy means that moments like these are few and far between. It also means that I'be neglected you all for far too long. But, I promise that what I'm offering you today with more than make up for it.
This...is ah-mazing.
I give you, my Salted Caramel Cheesecake. I give you not only my Salted Caramel Cheesecake BUT my Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Vanilla Cream and Caramel Sauce! Forgive me, now?

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

500g plain sweet biscuits 

60g almond meal 

150g unsalted butter, melted 

350g ricotta 

500g cream cheese 

175g (1 cup) brown sugar 

4 eggs 

2 tbsp golden syrup 1

/4 tsp table salt 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

250mL pure cream 

240g (1 cup) sour cream 

1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted 

Caramel Sauce 

250mL pure cream 

60g butter, chopped 

175g (1 cup) brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C. Blitz the biscuits and almond meal in a food processor until you have a course crumb.  Add the butter and process to combine.  Press the mixture onto the base and sides of a 20cm springform tin and pop in the freezer while you make the filling.

Using an electric mixer, beat the ricotta and cream cheese for 5 minutes or until very smooth.  Add the sugar and beat for another 3-4 minutes.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, before adding the syrup, salt and 1 tsp vanilla.  Mix until well combined.  

Pour the mixture into the biscuit shell and then place in a large baking tin.  Pour boiling water into the tin so it comes halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.  Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm to the touch (with a slight wobble to the centre)  Remove the cheesecake from the baking tin with the water and allow to cool.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, although overnight is best.

Place the cream, sour cream and the remaining teaspoon of vanilla in a mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks.  Swirl the cream across the top of the cool cheesecake.

To make the caramel sauce...Place all ingredients into a saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil.  Allow to cook for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.  Set aside and allow to cool.  Serve with the cheesecake.

Love this!

F. x

Sharing is Caring

I made this luscious Salted Caramel and Vanilla Cheesecake for a staff morning tea today to a wonderful reception.  The entire cake lasted around 15 minutes before it was absolutely demolished by my colleagues - a fantastic compliment.  As a result, I had no time to take a beautiful picture and so today, my photograph is stolen from the Donna Hay website and I promise that it did look exactly like this! This recipe is one of my all time favourites and always goes down a treat - just usually not quite this fast.  I am so very pleased that it brought so much pleasure today.  After all, food is about bringing people together and sharing that love. 

F. x

New Years Resolutions

They say that you should start a new year as you mean to continue. For me, of course, this translates to baking! Having spent a fantastic evening bringing in the new year with some of my favourite people, cocktails and amazing food, a long and involved recipe was not what I was looking for today. Maximum output for minimum effort for moi, please! This wonderful (cheat's) cheesecake was absolutely perfect for the occassion. I ask that you do not judge too hastily. Usually, where cheesecakes are concerned, I am a purist. Creamy, rich baked cheesecakes are my speciality but today was not the day to be spending hours in the kitchen...

My cheaty raspberry cheesecake begins with the simplest base known to man: digestive biscuits and unsalted butter. This is pressed into a springform pan and popped into the freezer. The 'cheesecake' is blissfully easy: cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice mixed then folded into double cream. Once this is poured over the base, and put in the fridge for as long as you can wait (this was about an hour for us) a good quality fruit conserve is spooned over the top. Wow! Simple, yet beyond fabulous!

My wish for the new year is that everyone achieves all that they hope for, in the company of people who they love and cherish. I cannot wait for what this year has in store. I am excited about the amazing people I have yet to meet, the incredible recipes I am yet to bake and for future experiences that I am sure will blow my mind.

Happy 2012!
F. x