White Chocolate Apricot Cheesecake Food

WHITE CHOCOLATE & APRICOT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Break biscuits into the food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. Brush a little butter over the base and sides of a deep 20cm flan tin. Stir the remaining butter into the crumbs. Spoon into the flan tin, then press over the base and sides. Chill while you make the filling.
• Stone and chop 3 of the apricots into small chunks. Put the gelatine in a bowl, cover with cold water, then leave to soften for 10 mins. Break up chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl with 100ml of the double cream. Stand over a pan of simmering water, then leave until melted, stirring occasionally. Squeeze water out of the gelatine, then stir into chocolate mix. Take off the heat and stir until dissolved. Beat the soft cheese and sugar together. Whisk remaining cream until stiff, then fold into the cheese. Fold in the chocolate, followed by the chopped apricots. Pour into the prepared tin and chill for at least 4 hrs or overnight.
• Line a grill pan with foil. Cut remaining apricots into quarters, then place on the foil, cut-sides up. Dust with icing sugar and grill for a few mins until lightly browned. Cool, then arrange over the top. Shave some white chocolate curls, then pile up in the centre of the cheesecake and serve.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crush the biscuits in a food processor until completely ground. Add butter and whizz again until you have the desired crumbly consistency.
• Grease and line the base of a 23cm deep, loose-bottomed cake tin. Add the biscuit mixture to the cake tin and pat it flat. Leave to set in the fridge for approximately 30 mins.
• Begin melting the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl over a small pan of hot water on a low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 mins until barely warm but still liquid.
• Meanwhile whisk the cream cheese and mascarpone together. Add double cream and keep whisking until the mixture is just holding its own shape. Finally, add the melted chocolate and whisk until just combined.
• Spoon the mixture over the cooled and set biscuit base, then smooth the top. Return to the fridge to cool for at least 6 hrs until the topping is set. Finally, decorate with fruit.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• for crust:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are moist. Press crumbs onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Maintain oven temperature.
• for filling:
• Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, then salt; beat until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla; beat until well blended.
• Bake cake until top begins to brown but center still moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Open oven door slightly; turn off oven. Leave cake in oven 30 minutes. Chill cake uncovered overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)
• Run small knife between pan sides and cake. Release pan sides. Starting at outer edge of top of cake, arrange strawberry halves in slightly overlapping concentric circles, covering top completely. Stir preserves and brandy in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils. Strain preserves. Brush glaze generously over strawberries, allowing some glaze to drip between berries. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Chill.)

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT OATMEAL COOKIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla and beat for 1 more minute.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add the oats, apricots and white chocolate chips and fold to combine using a rubber spatula, making sure everything is evenly incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
• Using a medium ice cream scoop, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden in color, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

ORANGE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and sugar; pour in the melted butter and lightly mix with a fork until thoroughly combined.
• Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan; bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes.
• Remove from oven and set aside, immediately lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over boiling water, stir constantly until melted; set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on high speed until creamy.
• Add the sugar and continue to beat well, add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Fold in the melted chocolate, sour cream, orange zest and extract.
• Pour the mixture into prepared crust and place in 325 degree oven for 1 hour, turn off oven and allow cheesecake to remain in oven with door slightly ajar for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cover and place in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
• For the apricot coulis, place the apricots, 2/3 cup orange juice and honey in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until apricots are soft.
• Place the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth.
• Return mixture to pan and stir in Grand Marnier; allow to cool to room temeperature.
• If mixture is to thick thin with additional orange juice adding a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
• Spoon over top of cheesecake, garnish with orange zest and serve immediately.
• Please note that the preparation time does not allow for chilling the cheesecake overnight.