Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday, we certainly did. My son, his family and my in laws came over for the day and we had a lovely day. We spent the majority of the day in the garden enjoying the abnormally hot weather we are having this Easter. Hubby prepared the leg of lamb for our roast dinner in our favourite way, using a lemon, rosemary and garlic paste that is smeared all over. I made this Lemon Meringue Cheesecake for dessert to follow. It was my first time making this cheesecake and although I cheated and used a good quality shop bought lemon curd it was an absolute hit.

The huge variety of flavours from the custard cream biscuit base, lemony & white chocolate cheesy middle and finished with a lemon curd and sweet meringue topping, came together to compliment each other perfectly. Delivering a surprisingly light and refreshing dessert to finish the meal with a stream of compliments. My in-laws loved it so much they took home a wedge for the next day!

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Serves 6

Ingredients
For the meringue:
3 egg whites
150g caster sugar
2-3 splashes vanilla extract

For the biscuit base and cheesecake filling:
400g packet biscuits, (custard creams)
100g butter, melted
50ml water
1 lemon, finely grated zest only
25g caster sugar, plus 1 tsp caster sugar
250g mascarpone
175ml double cream, lightly whipped
175g white chocolate, melted

For the lemon curd:
80ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
60g butter
3 egg yolks
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
75g caster sugar

For the meringue: preheat the oven to 110C/gas 1/4. Line 1 baking tray with non-stick baking parchment and draw a 9inch circle on the baking parchment and set aside. Whisk the egg whites in a large, clean bowl until stiff but not dry, then gradually whisk in the sugar and vanilla extract to make a stiff meringue mixture. Add the meringue into onto the circle on the baking parchment, creating peaks with a fork and bake in the oven for about 2-3 hours or until crisp and dry. Remove from the oven, leave to cool, then remove from the paper.

Meanwhile, for the biscuit base and cheesecake filling: put the custard creams and melted butter in a blender or food processor and blend together until well mixed. Add the crumb mixture to the cake tin pressing down to level the surface. Set aside. Put the water, lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix together the mascarpone cheese and remaining 25g of sugar, then fold in the whipped cream. Fold half of this mixture into the melted chocolate, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining mascarpone mixture, together with the cooled lemon mixture, stirring well. Spoon the lemon mixture over the biscuit base, and spreading it evenly. Chill in the fridge for several hours or until set.

For the lemon curd: put the lemon juice and butter in a heavy-based pan and heat gently until the butter is melted. Whisk in the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar and bring gently to the boil then simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened, whisking continuously. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. To serve, unmould the cheesecake and place on a serving plate. Smear the top of the cheesecake with the lemon curd, then arrange the meringue on top.

Lime Cheesecake with a Chocolate Crunch

It’s been a lovely sunny and warm weekend, with most of the time spent meeting up with friends for drinks, pottering around the house and garden and catching up with our son who came home for the weekend; after working with his girlfriends dad and staying at theirs during the week.

With my son and Sophie, his girlfriend, over for the weekend I couldn’t go without making something special. I would normally use my tried and trusted recipe for Lime and Chocolate Cheesecake from Nigella Bites, but this weekend I decided to try out an alternative from a new cookbook, Fay’s Family Food, that I had not yet cooked or baked from (that's what happens when you own over 200 cookbooks and the collection keeps growing)! This is a great cookbook and I have quite a few recipes book-marked that I can’t wait to try!

This cheesecake is creamy, light and refreshing with its chocolate crunch base that compliments the subtle tangy lime wonderfully. The cheesecake was a hit and I will definitely be making this easy, simple and lush dessert again!

Lime Cheesecake with a Chocolate Crunch

Ingredients
40g butter
20g dark chocolate
50g ground almonds
100 dark chocolate digestives biscuits or similar, crushed
800g light cream cheese
185g soured cream
175g caster sugar
4 large eggs and 2 large egg whites
Zest of 3 limes
1½ tbsp lime juice (I added 2½ tbsp)

Line the base of a loose-bottomed cake tin (24cm) with baking paper.

Melt together the butter and chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Leave to cool, then mix with the almonds and crushed biscuits. Press down into the tin to form a base and pop into the fridge for 15 minutes or so.

Pre-heat the oven to 150oC (fan), 170oC, gas mark 3. With your electric whisk, beat the cream cheese, soured cream and sugar till light and fluffy. Add 4 of the eggs, one at a time. When combined, add the lime zest and juice. Mix.

Separately whisk 2 eggs whites to soft peaks, then fold into the creamy mixture and combine. Pour over the base and bake for 1 hour, 20 minutes in the middle of the oven.

Leave to cool for 2-3 hours at room temperature, then pop into the fridge overnight.

Oreo Cheesecake

Hi everyone, hope this post finds you all well. I know it’s been a while since my last post but I decided to take some time out to spend with family and friends and keep busy. My sister and 16 month old nephew came over from Spain and stayed with us for a couple of weeks, which was really nice. We also celebrated my son’s 18th birthday last week; wow still can’t believe my baby is 18. Hubby and son marked the occasion with both of them getting tattoos of the family clan motto, followed by a great evening in our local pub with close friends and family. I haven’t done any baking for what feels like ages and to be honest baking in the heat wave we are having now is not the most enjoyable. I’m hoping to get some baking done and resume normal service; I know my boys have missed my baked goodies!

I was going to blog about this cheesecake before the sad news about Jules but could not bring myself to do so once the news broke. I still find it hard hearing myself say that our beloved Jules/Rosie has gone but I know she would have wanted me to continue doing what we both loved and enjoyed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who left such lovely comments for Jules, they were a great comfort to her family.

I baked this cheesecake whilst I had my parents visiting back in May and the recipe hails from Cook in Boots by Ravinder Bhogal. This is an exceedingly naughty cookie cheesecake with its dense, pillowy cake texture. This sinful cheesecake is best served in bed when absolute comfort eating is required!

Oreo Cheesecake

Serves 12

Ingredients
For the base
250g Oreo cookies
50g unsalted butter, melted

For the topping
500g cream cheese
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated
100g golden caster sugar (I upped the sugar to 200g as I felt it wasn't sweet enough)
200g soured cream
200g Oreo cookies

Preheat the oven to 170oC/150oC fan/325oF/gas 3. To make the base, put your Oreo cookies into a freezer bag (I used my food processor) and bash with a rolling pin until they are smashed into fine smithereens. Mix with the melted butter and then press down firmly into a 20cm/8in spingform cake tin. Bake for 15 minutes just to harden the crumb slightly and then leave to cool.

Now for that heavenly topping. Beat the cream cheese, vanilla extract, egg yolks and sugar together, add the soured cream and beat again. Crumble in the remaining Oreos and stir to make sure they are evenly spread through the mix. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks – this is what is going to give your cheesecake that wonderfully yielding texture. Carefully fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture, being careful not to knock out the air.

Pour the mixture over the cooled base and then bake for 1 hour 45 minutes. Don’t be tempted to open the oven door, not even for a peek – good things come to those who wait! Once the cooking time is up and the cake is golden brown, turn off the oven. Open the door and leave the cake to sit in the oven for a further hour.

Serve cool.

Apple Pie

I haven’t made an Apple Pie in yonks and thought it was high time I did, at the same time get to use my new Tala Pie Dish. I bought some Bramley apples a few weeks back which needed to be used pronto, so apple pie it was to be! The recipe for this actually came with the pie dish and seemed very easy and straight-forward, plus any recipe that asks for ready-made pastry gets my vote, I like the simple life sometimes. This pie really was a doddle to make, the only part which took some effort was rolling out the pastry (next time I am getting ready-rolled) but the rest was child’s play. It turned out great and I was really impressed with my new tin with the sliding arm for easy food release, with a clean cut. I couldn’t help and get a tad artistic and decorate the top with pastry letters. This apple pie is full of flavour and is best served with hot creamy custard!

Apple Pie

Serves 6

22cm dia-2.5cm deep pie dish

Ingredients
2-3 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 5mm thick
2-4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
500g shortcrust pastry
25g butter, cut into pieces
egg white or 1 tbsp cream
sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 200oC/180oC/gas 6. Butter the pie dish. Toss the apples in the sugar and cinnamon. Roll the pastry into two 30cm circles. Press one circle into the pie dish, letting the excess pastry overhang.

Pile the apple slices and their juices in the shell and dot with butter. Lay the other pastry sheet over the apples and seal the edges. Make slits in the pastry. Brush all over with the egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown.

Easter Sunday

I hope all my blogger friends had a wonderful Easter weekend. Here are some pictures of the food I made on Easter Sunday when my in laws came for the day.

After viewing the Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Goats Cheese Tart on Jules blog, I knew this would be the perfect starter to my Easter Sunday menu. And I am thrilled to say it was, everyone loved it and my mother in law asked for the recipe! It was so easy to make, better than any shop-bought tart. I served some salad along-side the tart. Thanks Jules, for sharing this delicious recipe, I will definitely be making this again and again!

Every year we purchase our leg of lamb from a nice butchers called Wishbone. They are known for their rare breeds, their lambs are free range and where possible Salt Marsh Spring Lamb and sourced from only the best farmers in Wales. This year we bought a 3kg leg of lamb and hubby insists on preparing the leg and cooking it, that's his job every Easter. He rubs the lamb in a lemon, rosemary and garlic mix, and it is heavenly.

For dessert I made a Lemon Curd and Strawberry Trifle, a recipe I have made before and one I knew would finish the meal off wonderfully. This was another recipe my mother in law asked for. If anyone would like to re-create this yummy trifle, you can find the recipe here: Lemon Curd and Strawberry Trifle

I couldn't resist not making another Chocolate Guinness Cake, we just love this cake and I thought it would be wonderful decorated with mini chocolate eggs. My in laws really loved it and took a huge wedge of it home to have the following day!

Lemon Tart

This is my first attempt at Lemon Tart and I will confess that I've cheated and this recipe is from Delia's new cookbook, How to Cheat at Cooking. I'm not going to pretend to enjoy doing my own pastry all the time and I believe in an easy life and buying ready-made pastry is not a "bakers" crime. Pastry chefs train for years to perfect the art of making pastry and more celebrity chefs nowadays are using ready made. In this recipe you buy the M&S all-butter sweet pastry case and then make the filling, bake it, cool it and then chill it. And voila you have a gorgeous Lemon Tart!

I have my in laws over for Sunday lunch tomorrow and I have made this tart for dessert. I will be serving it with Crème fraîche and strawberries.



Lemon Tart

Ingredients
195g large all-butter sweet pastry case (M&S)
312g jar Tiptree lemon curd (or any good quality lemon curd)
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons half-fat crème fraîche
Unrefined icing sugar, for dusting

Pre-heat oven to 170oC/gas 3. In a large bowl, mix together the lemon curd, lemon zest, lemon juice, beaten egg and crème fraîche. Place the pastry case on a baking sheet, pour the lemon filling into the pastry case.

Bake the lemon tart for 20-25 minutes, until it is set and feels springy. Leave tart to cool, then chill in the fridge for 1 ½ hours. Lightly dust with icing sugar. Serve with crème fraîche.