White Chocolate and LIme Cheesecake

A special treat!  A nice light tasting dessert that I found in Canadian Living 1995 (just a few years ago right).

2 packages soft lady fingers, halved lengthwise
2 packages cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
6 squares white chocolate, melted
1/4 cup lime juice
1 envelope unflavoured gelatine
2 tsp finely grated lime peel
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Strawberries and lime slices

Line bottom and sides of an 8 1/2 inch springform pan with ladyfingers, rounded side facing out.  Beat cream cheese on lowest speed of electric mixer until smooth.  Blend in sugar and chocolate; mix well.  Sprinkle gelatine on top of lime juice in saucepan.  Let stand 5 minutes to soften.  Stir mixture over low heat until gelatine is dissolved.  Blend warm gelatine and lime peel into cheese mixture.  Fold cheese mixture into whipped cream.  Pour into pan.  Chill at least 3 hours.  Garnixh with strawberries and lime slices.

Almond Macaroons with Fresh Strawberries

Chewy and crisp macaroons go really well with the strawberries.  A combination I wouldn't have thought of.  This is from the Food & Drink 2005 magazine.

1 lime
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg white
1/4 tsp pure vanilla
2 cups sliced almonds
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 quart (1L) fresh strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Zest lime and squeeze 1 tbsp juice.  Stir sugar with flour and salt.  Add egg white, zest, juice and vanilla; stir until well mixed.  Stir in almonds.
3. Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of almond mixture onto baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Shape each into a 2 inch round.  Bake in oven centre for 18 to 20 minutes or until richly golden around edges.  Cool completely on baking sheet placed on cooling rack before removing from parchment.  Cookies can be stored for days in an airtight container with layers separated by waxed paper.  Lightly sieve icing sugar over cookies when serving.
4. When ready for dessert, leave strawberry hulls intact and wash berries.  Drain and heap into a large serving bowl.  Pass a plate of macaroons to accompany.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry season is fast approaching.  Nothing is as good as freshly picked strawberries and I love going to the local farms to pick them.  They taste so much better than what you get in the stores.  Here is a fun change to the regular strawberry shortcake.

6 cups fresh strawberries

¼ cup sugar

1 square semisweet chocolate

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup butter

1 beaten egg

2/3 cup milk

1 cup whipping cream

2 tbsp sugar

Select 4 strawberries; set aside.  Slice the remaining berries.  Combine sliced berries and ¼ cup sugar; set aside.  Melt semisweet chocolate.  Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.  Spoon melted chocolate over the bottom half of each reserved strawberry.  Place on baking sheet; refrigerate till needed.

For shortcake, in a mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in the butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Combine egg and milk; add all at once to dry ingredients and stir just to moisten.  Spread dough in a greased 8 x 1 ½ inch round baking pan, building up edge slightly.  Bake in a 450 oven for 15 to 18 minutes or till done.

Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pan; place on a serving plate.  Beat whipping cream and the 2 tablespoons sugar on medium speed of electric mixer till soft peaks form.  Arrange some sliced berries atop cake.  Spoon whipped cream over top.  Arrange chocolate coated strawberries atop whipped cream.  Serve shortcake warm.  Pass remaining sliced berries.

Feathery Fudge Cake

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!  What more can I say.

3 squares (3oz) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups cold water
1 square (1 oz) semi sweet chocolate
4 fresh strawberries
Whipped Chocolate Filling
Chocolate Sour cream frosting
Chocolate curls

Grease and lightly flour two 9 x 1 1/2 inch round baking pans; set aside.  Melt the unsweetened chocolate; cool.  Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a large mixer bowl beat butter on medium speed of electric mixer about 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla and beat till well combined.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well on medium speed.  Stir in the melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate.  Add dry ingredients and cold water alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition.  Turn batter into prepared pans.  Bake in a 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till cake tests done.  Place on wire racks; cool 10 minutes.  Remove from pans; cool thoroughly on racks.

Melt the semi sweet chocolate.  Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.  Spoon melted chocolate over the bottom half of each strawberry.  Place on baking sheet; refrigerate till needed.  Halve the cake between the cake layers horizontally, making 4 layers.  Spread the whipped chocolate filling between the cake layers.  Frost top and sides with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting.  Garnish with chocolate coated strawberries and chocolate curls.  Makes 12 servings.

Whipped Chocolate Filling:  in a 1 cup glass measure soften 1/2 tsp unflavoured gelatin in a tablespoon cold water.  Place cup in a saucepan containing about 1 inch water; stir over low heat till dissolved.  Remove saucepan from heat.  In a small mixer bowl beat together 1 cup whipping cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder till slightly thickened.  Add the dissolved gelatin all at once; beat till soft peaks form.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting:  
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Melt together chocolate and butter.  Cool about 10 minutes.  Stir in sour cream and vanilla.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating by hand till frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.  Cover and chill to store.  Frosts tops and sides of two 8 or 9 inch layer or about 24 cupcakes.

Chocolate Curls
Let a bar of chocolate come to room temperature, then carefully draw a vegetable peeler across the chocolate.  For smaller curls, use a narrow side of the chocolate; for large curls, use a wide surface.  To transfer a curl without breaking it, insert a wooden pick through one end and lift.  Arrange atop tortes, layer cakes and cheesecakes.

Strawberry Lime Cooler

Fresh and tasty cocktail - loved it.  A little alcohol wouldn't hurt it either....:)  Got this from Todays Parent Magazine May 2008

1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1/4 cup lime cordial syrup
3/4 cup soda water
2 or 3 ice cubes

In a blender, combine the strawberries, lime cordial syrup, about half of the soda water, and the icecubes.  Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice.  Add the remaining soda water and blend briefly to mix.  Pour into fancy glasses and if you like, garnish each one with a slice ofl ime or a fresh strawberry.

Makes 2 cups or 2 to 4 servings.

Strawberry Parfaits

A fantastic summer dessert I found in Food and Drink Summer 2011.  For variety change up the fruit to whatever is in season.  The Lime Curd can be purchased but is fairly easy to make and definitely worth the effort.

5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5 l) fresh strawberries
1 pkg (250 g) light cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar
1 cup (250 ml) cold whipping cream
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 cups (250 to 375 ml ) lime curd
Zest of 1 lime

1. Set 4 large perfect berries aside for garnish.  Hull and slice remaining berries into bite size pieces; cover and refrigerate up to half a day.
2. Using an electric mixer; beat cheese with sugar until somewhat fluffy.  In another bowl, combine cream and vanilla; whip until stiff peaks form.  Fold 2 mixtures together; cover and refrigerate up to half a day.
3. When ready to serve, use parfait glasses or large wine glasses capable of holding 1 cup (250 ml).  (I used a martini glass).  Put sliced strawberries in bottom, top with a dollop of cream and 1 tbsp of lime curd.  Add another layer of berries and dollop of cream.  Decoratively spoon a bit of lime curd on top.  Slice reserved berries, hull intact, in half lengthwise, garnish parfait with strawberry half and a pinch of lime zest.

Makes 8 servings.

Lime Curd

This freezes well and as per the Food and Drink suggestion can be scooped like ice cream.  I have also made this with lemon, but I think any citrus would work.

1 large lime

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, softened

Juice of 4 limes, about 3/4 cup (175 ml)

1.  Finely zest 1 large lime; set aside

2.  In a medium saucepan, whisk eggs, sugar and butter.  Stir in juice and zest; mixture may be lumpy.  Whisk constantly over low heat until mixture starts to thicken and turns lighter in colour, from 15 to 18 minutes.  Do not boil.  Remove from heat and place a piece of plastic directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate until cold for up to a week or freeze.

Makes 1 1/2 cups (375 ml)