No-Gelatine Chilled Cheesecake: Lemon

This year for her birthday, my sister asked me for a split cheesecake, like she does every year. When I say split cheesecake, I mean a cheesecake that's one half one flavour, and the other half another flavour. This year, she wanted lemon and chocolate.

My sister doesn't like baked cheesecake, only chilled, and usually I would set a chilled cheesecake with gelatine. However, my oldest brother is a vegetarian and as such doesn't eat any product made from a dead animal, which obviously included gelatine.

My past adventures with vegetarian gelatine have been unsuccessful, leading to much hair pulling, crying, and expense. This year I decided to research how to make chilled cheesecake without using a setting agent at all and discovered a wonderful new trick: I learnt that through the miracle of a chemical reaction between dairy products and citrus juice, one could set a cheesecake completely using only lemon juice

Here is the recipe I used for the lemon half

FREE FROM
☑ Soya (check for soya lecithin)
☑ Yeast
☑ Wheat
☑ Nuts
☑ Eggs

CONTAINS
☒ Gluten (unless you use gluten-free oats)
☒ Refined sugar products
☒ Dairy


 INGREDIMENTS

For the bases:

• 6 ounces (170 grammes) spelt flour
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) rolled oats
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) cold butter, cubed
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) caster or brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: Pinch of cinnamon

For the cheesecake mixture

• 10 ounces (300 grammes) soft cream cheese
• 3 ounces (85 grammes) caster sugar

• 5 fluid ounces (150 millilitres) whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon (15 millilitres) vanilla essence
• Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• Pinch of salt

HOW-TO 

• Make the biscuit base according to the recipe here, but empty the mixture into an 8 inch (20 centimetre) spring form tin instead. Allow to cool completely.
• To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add in the whipping cream ands vanilla essence then beat until it forms soft peaks.
• Add the zest and juice of both lemons and the salt then beat briefly until well combined. Don't beat too much otherwise it will curdle.
• Working quickly, pour the filling onto the base and smooth out. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

As you can see, I made it into a split cheesecake, but the above recipe makes one 8 inch (20 centimeter) cheesecake.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR: Soft Vanilla Fudge

Lemon Meringue Tarts (Wheat Free)

My mother has been essentially locked in her office for the last week working feverishly on her Master's essays and assignments. I decided to make her a treat for finishing a successful week's work, and she does so love things that taste of citrus.

I thought I'd crack out the four-hole Yorkshire pudding tin that I inherited a few years back. It was in a box of things that my Grandma had left for my Mum and we received it when my Grandda died. About four years ago I claimed it as my own and assimilated it into my vast collection of cooking tins.

For this rendition of a classic, I used both orange and lemon juice for extra zing.

FREE FROM
☑ Soya (check for soya lecithin)
☑ Yeast
☑ Wheat
☑ Nuts

CONTAINS
☒ Gluten (unless you use gluten-free oats)
☒ Refined sugar products
☒ Eggs
☒ Dairy (check italics for alternatives)

INGREDIMENTS

For pastry:

• 4 ounces (115 grammes) white spelt flour
• 2 ounces (55 grammes)  cornflour
• 4 ounces (115 grammes) butter or margarine
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) caster sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch of salt

For curd filling:

• 3 fluid ounces (90 millilitres) lemon juice (or a mixture of lemon and orange)
• 3 ounces (85 grammes) caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 teaspoons (15 millilitres) cornflour
• 1 ounce (30 grammes) butter or just leave this out
• Pinch of salt

For meringue:

• 1 egg white
• 3 ounces (85 grammes) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 millilitres) vanilla essence
• Pinch of salt

HOW-TO

For pastry case(s):

• In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter or margarine until soft and creamy, then beat in the sugar and zest.
• Sieve in the flours and salt and mix with a wooden spoon until a soft dough is formed. Gather with your hands, make into a disc approximately 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) thick and pop in the fridge for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mk.4, or moderate). You will need an 8 inch (20 centimetre) tart tin or a Yorkshire pudding tin with four 4 inch (10 centimetre) holes. There is no need to grease them.
• Roll the dough out to about a quarter inch (.5 centimetre) thick and cut 5 inch (12 centimetre) rounds to line each Yorkshire pudding hole. Alternatively, drape the rolled pastry into the large tart tin and gently press in, using the rolling pin to roll over the edges of the tin and cut off the excess.
• Prick the case(s) all over with a fork and blind bake. To blind bake, line the case(s) with some scrunched up baking paper and fill with some coins; this stops the shell from rising too much.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, remove the paper and coins, then return to the oven to cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes or until a gentle golden brown colour.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before preparing the curd.

For the curd:

• In a saucepan, blend the cornflour, egg yolk and about 2 tablespoons (30 millilitres) of the juice into a smooth paste. Add the rest of the juice and the sugar and stir until evenly combined.
• Cook gently over a medium flame, mixing all the time with a whisk or rubber spatula, until it has thickened up into the consistency of... well, lemon curd. I don't really know how to describe it: a very gloopy, thick gel I suppose.
• Take from the heat and stir in the butter.
• Fill the pastry up to about an eighth inch (.3 centimetre) from the top of the shell(s).

For the meringue:

• In a heatproof glass or metal mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients until evenly combined.
• Put the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
• Remove from the heat and continue beating until stiff peaks are formed.
• Cover the filled tart(s) with the meringue using either a piping bag fitted with a star tip, or just pile it in and smooth it out with a fork for texture.
  
  

I don't have any photographs yet of the cut open tart to show off the layered effect, but I will update you all very soon!

There was no blog this time last year.

Variations on a Theme: Lemon Curd Sponge (Wheat Free)

It's that time of year again: my mother's birthday.

Every year my mother wants something lemony or orangey for her birthday cake, and so every year I oblige. Last year I made a cake dinosaur for the fun of it, this year I was a little more modest due to time and financial constraints.

I unfortunately have no photographs of this cake, but this is a fairly standard home cooking cake. Not to undermine it in any way, because it is delicious.


FREE FROM
☑ Soya (check for soya lecithin)
☑ Yeast
☑ Wheat

CONTAINS
☒ Gluten
☒ Dairy (use ingredients in italics for a dairy-free version)
☒ Eggs
☒ Refined sugar products

INGREDIMENTS:

For two 8 or 9  inch (20 or 23 centimeter) round sandwich cakes

• 7 ounces (200 grammes) spelt flour
• 3 ounces (85 grammes) cornflour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 5 medium eggs, at room temperature
• 2½ ounces (70 grammes) soft brown sugar
• 5 ounces (140 grammes) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2½ ounces (70 grammes) sunflower oil
• 2½ ounces (70 grammes) butter or block margarine
• Juice and zest of 2 lemons

For filling, crumb coat and icing:

• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 tablespoon butter (15 grammes), at room temperature

For chocolate and walnut decoration:

• Icing sugar

HOW-TO:

First, prepare the cakes:

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mk.4, or moderate).
• Prepare the cake mixture as per the basic sponge recipe, and pour into two greased and floured 9 inch (23 centimeter) cake tins. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until ready. Allow to cool completely in tins.
• Once cool, turn one cake upside down to use as the base. Spread the lemon curd on the bottom layer and put the other cake on top.

Then, prepare the lemon curd:

• Make the lemon juice up to 2 fluid ounces (55 millilitres) with some cold water. Place in the saucepan with the sugar and zest and heat gently until the sugar has melted.
• In a small cup, mix the cornflour with a tablespoon of water to make a slurry. Take the lemon and sugar mixture off the head and stir in the butter until melted.
• Add the cornflour slurry and mix thoroughly. Return to the heat and cook gently until a thick curd is achieved.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Assemble the masterpiece:

• Sprinkle icing sugar over the top for decoration.

This was fairly delicious. Hopefully when I make it again I shall take photographic evidence...

THIS TIME LAST YEAR: A Cautionary Tale on the Dangers of Novelty Cakes: The Dinnersaurus

Lemon Ice-Cream (Egg- and Wheat Free)

For my next trick: lemon ice-cream!

I've always been a big fan of creamy lemon desserts, there's something very satisfying about a rich, decadent creaminess being counteracted by a zest lemony tang. I also very much like creamy orange desserts too, like orange yoghurt, but I couldn't find orange curd (I could always make it myself, but that's another recipe for another time).

The consistency of this was nice and dense and thick, and truly rich. It's not to be consumed in large doses, or a sore tummy may follow.

FREE FROM
☑ Soya (check for soya lecithin)
☑ Yeast
☑ Gluten
☑ Wheat
☑ Eggs
☑ Nuts

CONTAINS
☒ Dairy
☒ Refined sugar products


INGREDIMENTS

• 6 fluid ounces (170 millilitres, ¾ US cup) whipping cream, 35%-40% fat content
• 2 fluid ounces (55 millilitres, ¼ US cup) cream cheese
• 2 fluid ounces (55 millilitres, ¼ US cup) condensed milk
• 4 fluid ounces (115 millilitres, ½ US cup) lemon curd
• Pinch of salt

HOW-TO

• In a large mixing bowl, pour the condensed milk. Add the cream cheese, lemon curd and salt and mix well. 
• Pour in the cream, while stirring, then stir until it is all combined.
• Using an electric hand mixer, whisk until it is light and a soft-peak consistency. You want to to look and feel like a mousse, basically.
• Pour into a 2 pint (560 millilitre, 2½ US cup) pudding mould with a lid (or you can use a loaf tin and cover with cling film) and smooth out the surface. Cover and freeze for 4 to 6 hours.
• Allow to temper for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve as a sundae with syrups, sprinkles and other nice things, on its own, or with cake.

I quite like the delicate yellow colour that it is naturally, but if you want it to be more obviously yellow lemon you could add a few drops of yellow food dye.