Black Currant Cheesecake Food

BLACK CURRANT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Put a pan on low heat and melt the butter.
• Take the pan off the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs and the ground almonds.
• Spread the biscuity base mixture, covering the bottom of each ramekin, smooth down.
• Put in fridge to cool.
• Pour the double cream into a bowl and whisk until stiff but don't let curdle.
• Stir in the cream cheese.
• Combine most of the sieved blackcurrants until it all turns a rich purple colour and reaches a fairly thick consistency.
• Fetch the bases from the fridge and pour in a thin layer of the pureed blackcurrants then evenly fill the ramekins up to the rim with the cheese cake topping.
• Smooth off the top with a palette knife and carefully marble in whatever remains of the blackcurrant puree.
• Slice up the Kiwi and serve with kiwi and a few whole black currants.
• Return to fridge until ready to serve.
• Consume!

BEST EVER BLACK CURRANT JAM

Steps:

• Add the black currants to a deep pot along with the sugar and lemon juice.
• Stir to combine and turn the heat to high, stirring every now and then until the mixture starts to bubble and become hot.
• Use a potato masher to mash the currants until they begin to fall apart.
• When the mixture begins to boil, continue to stir every 30 seconds or so.
• Use an instant-read thermometer - here's a link to mine (affiliate link) - to measure the temperature of the jam as it boils. Be sure the thermometer is measuring at the middle of the jam and not touching the bottom of the pot.
• Continue boiling as the temperature climbs and don't let it stop boiling until it reaches 220 degrees Fahrenheit (for low altitudes) or 210 degrees Fahrenheit (for high altitudes). This should take about 8 minutes or so.
• Once the correct temperature is reached, remove the pot from the heat and carefully spoon the jam into 2 mason jars. The jam might seem a little bit liquid at this stage - don't worry! It will thicken as it cools.
• Add the lids to the jars and allow to cool at room temperature until completely cool.
• Store in the fridge and enjoy!

BLACKCURRANT MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Melt the butter and sugar in a pan over gentle heat then take off the heat and stir-in the biscuit curmbs. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a greased loose-bottomed 20cm cake tin. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours.
• Remove the vanilla seeds: Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways, leaving the tip intact, so that the two halves are still joined. Holding onto the tip of the pod, scrape out the seeds using the back of a kitchen knife.
• Make the filling: Place the soft cheese, sugar and vanilla seeds in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Tip in the cream and continue beating until the mixture is completely combined. Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix.
• Now spoon the cream mixture onto the biscuit base, working from the edges inwards and making sure that there are no air bubbles. Smooth the top of the cheesecake down with the back of a dessert spoon or spatula. Leave to set in the fridge overnight.
• Carefully lift from the tin and set on a work top. Pipe the whipped cream as a border around the edge of the top of the cheesecake then fill the centre with the stewed blackcurrants. Chill in the fridge for about 3 hours and serve.
• To stew blackcurrants: use 250 gms blackcurrants (tinned, frozen or fresh) add 3 Tbs water and 3 Tbs sugar, bring to the boil and then simmer until the currants burst and then reduce down slightly to get rid of most of the liquid.