RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
The sun makes most of us feel cheerful and I am no exception. I woke to the warmth of the early morning sun bursting through the bedroom window a couple of days ago and I just had to race outside to capture some of its glory; just in case it was a brief visit. I found the plants starting to flourish in the garden and birds singing from the tree tops. I started to think of flimsy summer dresses, straw hats and my daughters heading down to the beach with their friends like a gaggle of excited geese. But, we are not quite there yet; even though I did put on my lime-coloured cotton dress and starlet sunglasses; unfortunately, teamed with sensible boots, rather than bare feet, to cut through the dewy spring grass. I strolled through the garden and circumnavigated the much larger front lawns and orchard; those very same fields that will soon be bustling with visitors. We open up our large front garden to summertime camping; when the usual chaos of family life bubbles more fervently with joyous chatter, children giggles and rustling of canvas; oh, and we must not forget the glorious smells of smouldering barbeques and sounds of sizzling sausages. And this brings me to the matter of food; but not merely that of fuel, that of pleasure; cheesecake pleasure. Pure indulgence with a hint of summer on the way.
To enjoy this simple but tasty treat, you will need:
- 20cm (8inch) round loose bottomed cake tin, buttered and base lined
- 75g (3oz) butter
- 125g (4.5oz) digestive (or other plain) biscuits, digestives do work well though
- 150g (5oz) white chocolate
- 350ml (12 fluid oz) double cream
- 450g (1lb) cream cheese
- 100g (4oz) icing sugar
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 150g (5oz) raspberries or other soft berry fruit
To begin, chop the butter into chunks and place in a small glass or ceramic bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave for approximately 20-30 seconds until almost runny. (Alternatively, the butter can be melted over a saucepan of warm water). Meanwhile, crush the biscuits until they resemble breadcrumbs. This can be done in a food processor, but I prefer to do it manually, by placing the biscuits in a large food bag and rolling over and over them with a rolling pin, until all are crushed. The kids love doing this one.
Then, add the biscuits to the butter, mix together thoroughly and tip into the prepared tin. Flatten down with the back of a spoon and pop this into a fridge to harden and cool.
In the meantime, break the chocolate into its pieces and place in a glass bowl. Place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water as the chocolate will burn and turn grainy. A smooth cream consistency is required. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whilst the chocolate is resting, place the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence into a bowl and stir to slightly mix; fully blended is not required here.
Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and whisk until just starting to thicken; it will hold its shape if pulled by the whisk. Tip the cream cheese mixture into the cream and whisk again, or simply stir through, until well blended this time. Add the chocolate and stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Wash the raspberries and allow to drain.
Remove the tin from the fridge and scatter the drained raspberries over the biscuit base. You can increase or decrease the quantity of fruit to taste.
Spoon over the cheesecake mixture and smooth the surface to level. Place the cheesecake, still in the tin, back into the fridge to cool for at least one hour. Almost there!
When ready to serve remove the cheesecake from the tin by easing a knife around the edge of the dessert to loosen and push the base upwards. Slide carefully onto a serving plate or board.
Dust with icing sugar or sprinkle over white chocolate flakes to decorate if so desired. This cheesecake is good enough to serve on its own, but for extra richness it can be accompanied by pouring cream, soft berry coulis (puree) or a scattering of soft berries; or all three options, as I do sometimes, for a truly delightful experience!
This is a treat to be enjoyed inside or out; on your own, with the kids or with a gathering of friends.
It can be packed in a tin and transported for picnics; or served at home for afternoon tea, an after school snack or dressed up on fine china for a special dinner date.
Sometimes, for a sweeter alternative and for longer keeping (even though having to keep it very rarely happens), I abandon the fresh fruit altogether and place the filling directly onto the base. And when I am ready to serve, I top it with a high fruit jam or preserve; the children love strawberry or blackcurrant, I prefer cherry, but it could be tried with apricot or marmalade too! If topped with marmalade I wonder if it could be categorised as a breakfast staple?
Easily makes 10 tasty portions.
And the only things left to do; are wash up and ponder at the artistic creation before you!
I say artistic because this cheesecake reminds me of summer and the richly coloured in the park paintings created by French post-impressionist artist Georges-Pierre Seurat (1859- 1891). His most famous picnic interpretation being that of ‘A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte’, 1884-86. He used the method of applying tiny dots of rich coloured pigment to the 3 metre wide canvas, to be optically blended by the observer; this method is known as chromoluminarism and pointillism.
A SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON THE ISLAND OF LA GRANDE JATTE BY GEORGES SEURAT
And I imagine ruminating by a pond; a pond celebrated as much as those painted by the French impressionist artist, Claude Monet (1840-1926). I would have my blanket spread across the grass whilst savouring the delicateness of raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake, washed down with a delicately floral Muscat dessert wine. I have my own acrylic on canvas interpretation of water lilies; but I am not sure if it matches up to that of Monet’s? I never intended to paint lilies in water, but the colour that was evolving on the canvas was so reminiscent of the those much adored Monet creations, that the content could be no other.
THE POND BY DIANE WHALLEY
Art and cooking are not so different really, both are created to be viewed, relished and remembered. x