Ombre blueberry and chocolate cheesecake

I saw a photo of this cheesecake on instagram (originally from the German blog Butiksofie) and decided that it was so beautiful I just had to make it!  The original recipe was all in German and with some very unreliable help from google translate (“Curds thirds and 2 of 3 portions with the desired blueberry amount mull. Once little more even slightly less.”) and using my other cheesecake recipes as a guide, I came up with an approximation of the recipe which was pretty successful.  It does use a lot of blueberries (which can be expensive if you use fresh), and it’s time consuming to get the ombre effect as you have to set each section separately before adding the next (you need to start this the day before you want to eat it  or very very early in the morning) — but I love the effect and it’s worth it for a special occasion.

Ombre blueberry and chocolate cheesecake

For the base :

1 packet Romany cream biscuits or 200 g of any nice chocolate/oat type biscuits
50g melted butter

Grease a 15 x 10cm springform pan with butter and line with baking paper.   Melt the butter, crush up the biscuits in a pestle and mortar, mix together and press firmly into the tin using a spoon. Refrigerate until cold and firm.

5 tsp gelatine
4 tbsp hot water
500g cottage cheese (or quark)
250g mascarpone
80ml whipping cream
100g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of 1 lemon
500g blueberries

For the topping

blueberries
100g dark chocolate
35g coconut oil

Whip the cream until soft peaks form and refrigerate.  Combine the cream cheese, mascarpone, caster sugar, vanilla and the lemon juice and whisk until smooth.  Puree the blueberries in a food processor.

Now comes the tricky part.  Divide the cream cheese mixture equally into 3 bowls.  Put 2 of the bowls into the fridge until later.

Dissolve 2 tsp of gelatine in 1.5 tbsp of hot water and whisk into the first bowl until well combined.  Add about 3/4 of the pureed blueberries and mix in well, then fold in the whipped cream.  Pour onto the biscuit base and smooth the top.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Take the second bowl out of the fridge, add 2 tsp gelatine dissolved in 1.5 tbsp hot water, remaining pureed blueberries and 1/3 of the cream as above.  Pour onto the first layer carefully and smooth the top.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Take the last bowl out of the fridge, add 1 tsp gelatine dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water and the rest of the cream as above.  Pour carefully onto the second layer and smooth the top.

You guessed it - refrigerate for at least 2 hours!

Once the cheesecake is totally set, make a chocolate topping by melting the chocolate carefully in the microwave (or a double boiler).  Add the coconut oil and stir.  Allow it too cool so that it is lukewarm but hasn’t started to set.   Remove the cheesecake carefully from the pan, spoon the chocolate topping over the top so it drips down the edges a little.  Decorate with whole blueberries and put back in the fridge until the chocolate is set.

Scones

I always had trouble making scones and pastry until I figured out that I have very warm hands and that if I over-handled the dough the butter would melt and the scones would be tough.  The secret is to make sure the butter is really cold and to handle the dough as little as possible.  Now I make pastry in the food processor so I hardly have to touch it at all, and this scone recipe of Lindy’s requires very little kneading so it works well if I use very cold butter.  The second recipe is one I've just discovered - the scones are very light and fluffy because of the bubbles in the lemonade - and they are so easy to make.

Lindy’s scones

3 cups self raising flour
100 g cold butter (cut into chunks)
1 cup of milk
extra flour for kneading and dusting

Preheat the oven to 220C

Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers, breaking up the butter until the mixture’s a fine breadcrumb consistency.  Make a well in the centre and add the milk and mix gently with your fingers until the mixture comes together into a soft, loose dough.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface gently knead for about 30 seconds (don’t overwork it).  Using your hand, pat the dough gently into a 2cm thick round (don’t roll it out).  Cut scones out with a cookie cutter or just make squares using a knife.   Put on a prepared baking tray, dust with a little flour, and bake in a hot oven (200 C) for about 12 mins until just golden. 

Variations :

Cheese and herb scones :

Add half a cup of grated cheese, 2 tbsp finely chopped chives and 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley to the flour and butter mixture, just before adding the milk.

Date scones :

Soak 1/2 cup roughly chopped pitted dates in a bowl of boiling water for 10 mins.  Drain well, coll and add to the flour and butter mixture, just before adding the milk.

Mama Mia’s even quicker Three Ingredient Scones 

4 cups self raising flour 300 ml cream
1 can (375 ml) lemonade

Pre heat the oven to 200 C (180C fan-forced).  Add the cream and lemonade to the flour.  Mix the liquid in with a flat bladed knife (this stops the lemonade from losing its fizz).  When the mixture turns doughy, turn it out onto a flat, floured surface and knead lightly for about 30 secs.  Pat the dough into a 2 cm thick round and cut into 12 scones with a cookie cutter or a cup.   Bake for 15 mins until just golden.  Serve with Jo's lemon curd or jam and cream.

Mumbai spiced cheese toastie

This is Mumbai street food and a great supper for eating in front of the TV with a cold beer or cider. Melted cheese, fresh coriander chutney and a nice bit of spice.  Milder cheeses are better than strong cheddar.

Mumbai spiced cheese toastie

Ingredients

(serves 1)

For the fresh chutney:

½ green chilli, deseeded and chopped

handful fresh coriander, leaves only

leaves from 8 mint sprigs, torn

1 clove garlic, crushed

sea-salt flakes, to taste

½ tsp sugar

juice of ½ lemon

a pinch of ground cumin

a pinch of ground coriander

a pinch of ground ginger

a pinch of ground cinnamon

For the sandwich:

2 thick slices crusty white bread

50g good cheese, grated or very finely sliced

1 medium tomato, sliced thinly

¼ small red onion, very finely sliced

butter and oil, for frying (if you don’t have a toasted sandwich maker)

Put everything for the chutney, except the lemon juice, in a mortar and pound it. You can just chop everything together but the chutney is better if it has had a good pounding. Add the lemon juice.

Spread the chutney over both pieces of bread. Lay the cheese, tomato and onion on one of them and top with the other piece of bread.

Use a toasted-sandwich maker, if you have one, or melt a knob of butter and about a quarter of a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and cook the sandwich over a medium heat for about three minutes on each side, squashing it down regularly, until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Children's spaghetti bolognese

This is a great way of hiding vegetables from fussy children - and the family all still love my version of spaghetti bolognese even though they are now grown up and eat veggies quite happily by themselves!   Jamie Oliver adds sundried tomatoes to his version, which is nice if you like it quite rich and tomatoey.

Children's spaghetti bolognese

Ingredients (serves 4)

olive oil
200 ml red wine (optional)

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped  
2 carrots, grated

tsp dried Italian herbs  
2 zucchini, grated

2 cloves of garlic, minced  
1 onion, finely chopped

400 g good quality beef mince  
1 jar tomato-based pasta sauce  OR 1 tin chopped tomatoes1/2 cup pitted olives (optional)

400g spaghetti              

freshly grated parmesan

salt and pepper      
extra virgin olive oil

Put a frying pan or wok on a medium heat, add a splash of olive oil then cook the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft. Add the rosemary, herbs and garlic, cook for a minute or two, and then add the mince and break apart any lumps with a wooden spoon. Let it cook for a couple of minutes until starting to brown, stirring and breaking up the lumps as you go.   Pour in the red wine (if using - if not use 200 ml stock) and cook for a minute or two.

Add the jar of pasta sauce to the mince. Stir well and add the olives, grated carrot and zucchini. Reduce the heat so that the sauce is simmering gently and cook for about 30 minutes.  Stir it regularly and if it looks as if it’s drying out, add a little water.  Season well with salt and pepper once it’s cooked.

About 10 minutes before the time is up, cook the spaghetti in a big pot of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, and then drain.  Divide the spaghetti into bowls, top with a big spoonful of the sauce, a good grating of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. 

Lake Louise boozy hot mint chocolate

We had this hot chocolate after a morning spent ice skating and a sleigh ride at Lake Louise in  -14C temperatures - and it is the most delicious drink in the world when you are freezing and can't feel your fingers!  You can always leave out the alcohol if you just want a plain hot chocolate.

Lake Louise boozy hot chocolate

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 cups milk

1 cup fresh cream

1 block good quality dark chocolate

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1/2 cup Chocolate Mint liqueur

Warm the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat. Break the chocolate into pieces and add to the milk. Whisk until melted and combined. Add the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Continue to warm the mixture until it starts to thicken a little, then whisk in the liqueur, if using.  If you want to be particularly decadent, top with some whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Banana pancakes

One of my favourite Jack Johnson songs is “Banana Pancakes” - so of course when I hear it I have to ask Charlie (the pancake queen!) to make me some.  If you want your pancakes fluffy add the baking powder and baking soda, if not leave those ingredients out.

Banana Pancakes

Ingredients (makes 12 pancakes)

2 cups buttermilk (or full cream milk)

2 ripe bananas (1 cup mashed, plus extra for slicing)

2 eggs

3 tbsps unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 tsps pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder (optional)

1/2 tsp baking soda (optional)

½ tsp salt

Add the buttermilk to a large bowl. Whisk in the mashed banana, eggs, butter, and vanilla into the buttermilk.  In a medium bowl, add the the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk together to combine.  Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and mix just until incorporated. Don’t overmix!

Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes. It should form bubbles and rise just a bit.  Heat a non-stick large frying pan over medium heat. Melt a little butter and using a 1/3 cup measure pour the batter into the frying pan. The pancakes are ready to flip when they start to form little bubbles in the middle (about a minute). Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and the cooked through.

Serve topped with sliced bananas and maple syrup.

Dom Pedros

The refined form of hooligan juice which was so popular in Zim when I was young.  This is a version using Amarula cream liqueur; you can use any liqueur you like, but cream or coffee-based ones like Amarula, Kahlua and Baileys are particularly nice.

Dom Pedros

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 cups vanilla icecream, slightly softened

1/2 Amarula liqueur

3/4 cup fresh cream

Put all the ingredients into a blender and whizz until combined.  Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Sprinkle with some chocolate shavings if you like.

lime and chilli butter roast chicken

Lime, chilli and chicken go perfectly together.  This is a sort of peri peri chicken with limes replacing the lemons and the addition of a few Asian flavours like soy sauce and ginger.  Serve with rice and a green salad and make sure you pour over plenty of the buttery juice.  Another delicious recipe from Not Quite Nigella.

Lime and chilli butter roast chicken

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut into pieces

50g softened butter

grated zest of 1 lime

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 long red chilli, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon finely grated ginger

Fresh coriander to serve

Preheat oven to 220C and place the chicken pieces in a baking tray skin side up. Mix the butter, lime zest, lime juice, chilli, garlic, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and ginger in a small food processor (or by hand). Spread the flavoured butter over the chicken, coating it well. You can do this the night before if you want and leave the chicken in the fridge to marinate overnight.

Roast the chicken for 40 minutes, basting halfway through with the juices.

Potato, tomato and mozzarella salad

This is another recipe that I spotted on Pinterest - I think it's originally from Donna Hay.  The mixed tomatoes look pretty but if you can't get them use any fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes you can find.  remember not to keep tomatoes in the fridge.

Potato, tomato and mozzarella salad

(with spring onion dressing)

Ingredients

500g large waxy potatoes, peeled
300g mixed heirloom tomatoes, sliced
100g kalamata olives
400g bocconchini or mozzarella, torn
Baby basil leaves, to serve
Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Red-wine vinegar and spring onion dressing

2 tbsps red-wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1 spring onion, finely chopped
2 tbsps olive oil

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan of salted cold water.  Bring to the boil and cook for 18–20 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. 

While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Place the vinegar, sugar, spring onion, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. 

Thickly slice the potatoes and place on a serving dish. Top with the tomatoes, olives and mozzarella. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the basil, salt and pepper.  Serves 4.