SUMMER CHEESECREAM DESSERT
I did this for a Christmas dessert – semi successful. The tulips (biscuit pastry) was too soft and wrong texture for cheesecream as I let it set too long in fridge while I tried to get the pastry right. It wouldn’t dissolve completely so I could re-set it with the egg whites. Cream tasted nice though. Lot of eggs involved. I used ricotta as much less salt.
Serves 4
250g cottage or ricotta cheese, creamed
5 tsp gelatine
hot water
1/3 cup fruit juice or water (I used passionfruit tin – a bit too flavourful)
3/4 cup diced canned fruit (drained) – try berries for Belinda
1 tsp grated orange rind (Belinda thought this made the whole dish taste right)
2 small eggs, separated
1/3 cup caster sugar
4 individual wetted moulds – silicon patty pans were ideal. No greasing needed but they are quite large so the biscuits had to be moulded around large coffee jars.
60g softened unsalted butter
less than 1/4 cup caster sugar -much too sweet for pastry
1 large egg white
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup plain flour
20cm (or less) greaseproof paper circle
1. Fresh fruits in season* – slice & mix together in a large bowl (except kiwis, as they absorb blue too easily) ready to spoon into tulipes. * Belinda could eat blueberries, kiwis, strawberries, orange and a little pineapple & peach)
2.Grated chocolate.(made it special)
FILLING:
Cream, blend or process cheese until smooth & creamy.
Soak gelatine in fruit juice or water, dissolving over hot water. Mix into cheese, diced fruit & rind.
Beat yolks with sugar over the hot water until thick & creamy and sugar dissolved* (This took ages by hand – and hurt.). Mix into cheese and cool (not in fridge!!!!).
Whisk egg whites until foamy, fold through cheese and spoon into 4 individual wetted molds. Chill until firm.
BISCUIT PASTRY (tulipes):
Combine the soft butter & sugar until creamy, add egg white from large egg, then vanilla & flour.
Grease 4 circles of greaseproof paper (20cm diam) and spread biscuit batter evenly*
(I cut only one to watch for size. Spreading took quite a while).
Bake in mod hot oven 190 (try 180 for 7 mins) degrees C approx 10 mins until just golden on the edges.* (mine wouldn’t dry out and two burnt on the tray of 4 – will try really thick tray next time.)
Remove biscuit with a spatula and place over an upturned glass, gently pressing into a tulip shape while warm. Cool, then remove and keep airtight until ready to serve.
ASSEMBLY:
Put tulipes on serving dish, unmould cheese shape (by dipping in hot water if necessary),
invert into tulipe and garnish with slices of fresh fruit. Add grated chocolate if desired.