A lovely bit of cheesecake
If you are regular readers or followers, you’ll know we love our puddings and cakes. And the despite Nigella having no worries on the competition front, we love to get our bake on at many an opportunity. With mixed results, but still. We get a big fat A for Effort. Our last foray into the Domestic Sluttery Pudding Club, was a chocolatey mess of a heart attack inducing pudding feast, with cookie dough brownies and nutella pudding making the cut. This time, the pudding club has foisted the theme of CHEESECAKE on us, and Lea & I have been just as busy in our kitchens.
If you don’t know already, each month the ladies at Domestic Sluttery will be announcing a different pudding theme and and sharing their best recipe with you – and at the end of the month they’ll be rounding up everyone that played along. You’ll have a veritable library of chocolate goodies. Play along with us as each month a member or two of the editorial team get elbow deep in pudding goodness. We can’t wait for the next theme!
So. Let us introduce you to a cheeky ginger and strawberry affair and a chocolate mint dream…
Strawberry & Stem Ginger Cheesecake (in a bowl)
After last months ridiculous monstrosity of a cake monster (triple layered brownies when clearly, one would probably do), I decided I needed something fresh, zingy and ultimately a bit healthier for my after dinner table. Step in a beautiful little recipe that despite the low fat nature of it, still packs a tasty punch, thanks to the creamy cheesecake filling and the stem ginger. This bad boy is TASTY. And if you are on Weight Watchers, it really will only cost you five pro points. Total bargain.
It also is made in a bowl. I have no idea why. I would suggest that due to its low fat nature, it can handle being in actual cheesecake shape. No worries – it is still delicious.
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 100g ginger nut biscuits
- Jar of stem ginger, from which take 15g of the ginger and 2bsp of syrup
- 200g low fat soft cheese
- 250g no fat Greek yoghurt
- 2 tsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g fresh strawberries
To make
- Grab yourself some sort of trifle/serving bowl. It doesn’t need to be glass, but if it is see through it will just look better when you serve it up!
- Crush the ginger nut biscuits by popping them in a sandwich bag and bashing them into submission with a rolling pin or other heavy implement.
- Drain and chop your stem ginger, and combine with the crushed biscuits, and tip into the bottom of the bowl.
- Mix up the soft cheese, yoghurt, sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract – don’t over beat it, but make sure it is nice and smooth.
- Chop around 3/4 of the strawberries and stir into the cheesecake mix, spooning it over your ginger nut base. Smooth the layer at the top with the back of a spoon.
- Slice the rest your your strawberries and place them artfully on top. Drizzle over the syrup, and then serve with a flourish and a smug grin. How easy was this?!
My bowl was too big…so you know. Just make more.
Chocolate Mint Cheesecake
Whereas Sam tries her darndest to get her puddings keeping her in tip top form, I’m sad (lolz, not really) to say I do no such thing. If you’re a chocoholic partial to a fresh burst of mint in your sweet treat now and again, then boy do I have a recipe for you…
Ingredients (Serves approx. 10)
- 16 Digestive biscuits (crushed)
- 50g butter
- 2 mint Aero bars
- Drop of peppermint essence
- 750g mascarpone cheese
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
- Half a bag of chocolate chips
- 5 tbsp drinking chocolate
- Grated chocolate for decoration
To Make
- Melt the butter in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, and add the crushed biscuits. Ensure the crumbs are well coated.
- Add the Digestive mixture to a springform tin and cover the bottom, pressing firm so the base is even and compressed.
- Melt down the Aero bars and GENTLY spread it in a thin layer over the biscuit base. Try not to uproot it too much.
- In a large bowl add the mascarpone, icing sugar, the drinking chocolate, mint essence and chocolate chips and whisk until the mixture is even.
- Add the mascarpone mixture to the tin, making sure the top is even. Decorate with the grated chocolate before allowing it to set in the fridge.
Ooooh, you tempter. That cheesecake looks fabulous. Please let that photo rush out into reality and into my tummy.
Oh my goodness, I’ve only just spotted this – amazing! Thanks for contributing another ace recipe.