Christmas Cheesecake
Preparation 20 Minutes
Cook 2 hours Minutes
Serves 16
Method
Preheat oven to 180oC (160oC fan). Generously grease a 20cm round, loose-bottom (or springform) tin. Line the base with baking paper.
In the bowl of a food processor, add biscuits. Blitz to a fine crumb. Add 250g of the melted butter and blitz until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and use a spatula to gentle push half of the mixture up the sides of the tin. Spread remaining mixture evenly over the base (using a drinking glass can help to compact the mixture around the sides and base). Refrigerate.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine remaining butter with sugar and whisk until combined. With the motor running, add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add cream cheese, quark, sour cream and vanilla, whisk until smooth. Add cornflour and mix until incorporated.
Add peel and sultanas and gently fold through the cream mixture, then spoon into the prepared base and smooth the surface.
Bake cheesecake for 10mins then reduce oven temperature to 170°C (150°C fan) and bake for a further 50 mins. Turn off the oven, leaving the door slightly open, allow cheesecake to sit in the oven for a further hour until the edges of the cheesecake feel firm when gently pressed.
Allow the cheesecake to cool completely at room temperature then remove sides of tin and transfer cheesecake to refrigerator to cool overnight.
To make the meringue decoration, place the egg whites and caster sugar in a large bowl and whip into soft peaks. Spoon the meringue on top of the cheese cake and shape with a spatula. Use kitchen blow torch to lightly crisp the outside of the meringue. Serve and enjoy!
Ingredients
350g Marie biscuits (or other plain biscuits)
300g butter, melted, plus extra to grease tin
180g caster sugar
5 large eggs
500g cream cheese, room temperature
250g quark, drained, room temperature
250g sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
50g cornflour, sifted
200g Angas Park Mixed Peel
200g Sunbeam Australian Sultanas
MERINGUE
12 egg whites
1 1⁄2 cups caster sugar
Recipe Collection
Sunbeam Decadent Fruit Mince
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl till combined.
Place into sterilised jars and store in a cool dark dry place to macerate for as long as you can before using.
This fruit mix made ahead can be used for so many great Sunbeam Recipes!
Peanut Butter Bites
- Combine currants, sultanas, oats, peanut butter and vanilla essence in a food processor. Blend until a smooth, thick paste is formed.
- Divide and roll into 25 balls and place on top of skewer.
- Dip balls in melted chocolate. Before chocolate is set place two half marshmallows for ears, one pink candy for a nose and Sunbeam currants for eyes.
Traditional Hot Cross Buns
Place your flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon and salt in your mixing bowl and briefly mix until combined.
Add in your melted butter, warm milk, eggs and raisins.
Mix with your dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until a dough ball is formed and is coming away from the sides of the bowl.
Leave the dough covered with clingfilm in a warm place for approximately 1 hour or until doubles in size.
Knock the air out of the dough and roll it into a log before cutting it into 12 even pieces.
Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place into a grease proof paper linen baking tray (approx. 30cm x 20cm) in a 3 bun by 4 bun pattern.
Cover balls of dough with cling film again and let rise for approximately 40 minutes or until it has risen to about 70% of its original size.
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees after leaving it to rest.
Right before placing it into the oven make your cross mixture by mixing your flour and water until a thickish paste forms. Using a ziplock bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag, pipe your crosses down the center of each bun horizontally and then vertically.
Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until nice and golden brown.
Meanwhile, place jam and water in a bowl and microwave for approx. 30 seconds until melted and combines.
Once buns are fresh out the over, brush your glaze over each one to give them a beautiful glossy finish.
Christmas Bark
Line a 25cm x 35cm with baking paper. Place chocolate into a medium heat proof bowl; stir over a medium saucepan of simmering water until smooth (don’t let water touch base of bowl). Stir in puffed rice and coconut.
Working quickly, spread chocolate mixture onto tray as thinly as possible; sprinkle with dried fruits, biscuit and nuts.
Refrigerate until set. Break bark into pieces to serve.
Butter Biscuit Wreaths
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Preheat oven to 160°C and line with baking trays. Set aside 1/4 cup raisins for decorating. Roughly chop remaining raisins.
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Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Sift in flour and mixed spice and add chopped raisins. Mix until combined. Divide dough in half and form into two disks. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.
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Roll dough between sheets of baking paper to 0.5cm thick. Cut 8cm rounds with cookie cutter. Transfer to lined baking trays and cut 3cm circles from middle of rounds to form rings. Reroll dough as necessary and refrigerate if too soft. Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly coloured. Cool on trays.
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To decorate, working with one biscuit at a time, drizzle white chocolate over the top and decorate with raisins, almonds and other decorations.
Smoked Eggplant Dip
Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
- Prick eggplant all over with a fork. Place both eggplants over a low gas flame on your cooktop, turning often until skin is charred all over. Remove to a lined baking tray and continue cooking in the oven for 30 minutes or until completely tender and cooked through.
- When cool, peel skin away from eggplants, discarding stems and juices.
- Roughly chop the flesh and combine with yoghurt, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and seasonings.
- Combine currants with sherry vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes.
- For serving, toss together the drained currants, pine nuts, parsley and seasonings. Spoon eggplant dip into a serving dish and sprinkle with pine nut mixture. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve with warmed turkish bread.
