It was pretty much a 'fait accompli' that the dessert for Mk's forty something birthday would be cheesecake, as this has almost always been his first choice of dessert given any occasion, or now that I think about it, any 'non occasion' too.
There is usually a great debate amongst us, as to what the topping should be....strawberries... kiwi...maybe mango for a change... or the firm favourite for most of us, gooseberries.
But throw an unexpected visitor into the mix, bearing an equally unexpected gift of freshly picked cherries, and we had the perfect solution to our pending dilemma.
There is usually a great debate amongst us, as to what the topping should be....strawberries... kiwi...maybe mango for a change... or the firm favourite for most of us, gooseberries.
But throw an unexpected visitor into the mix, bearing an equally unexpected gift of freshly picked cherries, and we had the perfect solution to our pending dilemma.
Fresh cherries, as you will well know if you live in the Cape, are highly seasonal and not around for long, so some of us lucky peeps living in this end of the world get a much awaited yearly outing to pick (well, if truth be told, eat more than pick) some of these luscious juicy gems.
Not only is it a satisfying and mouth watering experience but it is also one of the most scenic, as you can see by the pic's below that our unexpected visitor (Mk's long lost Brit friend) took whilst traveling to the cherry farm this summer.
Looking at these cherries just makes you wonder why anyone would choose the canned variety over fresh.
There is no comparison between using fresh fruit and tinned fruit when making a fridge cheesecake.
We most probably have all used tinned fruit at some time or the other, but there is something about the natural tartness of fresh fruit that cuts the sweetness of the rich cream cheese in the most balanced way.
Well,
even though, Mk didn't want a fuss, we thought it appropriate to
celebrate just a bit.....after all, turning forty 'something' is not for
the faint- hearted.
So, out came some great vintage china and silverware, all in honour of the Cheesecake and of course Mk himself.
As if the day wasn't special enough! We had some inquisitive onlookers watching the proceedings from their spot up in the tree
Cherry Cheesecake
- 100 g tennis biscuits, crushed into fine crumbs
- 50 g butter, melted
- 500 g full-fat cream cheese
- 100 g icing sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, sliced lengthways, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200 ml double cream
- 1 cup fresh cherries
- 4 dessert spoons of sugar to taste
Method
In a mixing bowl, mix together the biscuit crumbs and the melted butter and mix well.
Spoon the biscuit mixture into a 20cm spring-form cake tin lined
with silicon paper or baking parchment. Use a metal spoon to press the
biscuit crumbs down firmly and evenly. Chill in the refrigerator until
set. In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk or a wooden spoon, beat
together the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla pod seeds or vanilla
extract until well mixed.
Fold in the double cream, mixing well.
Spoon the cream mixture over the chilled biscuit base, making
sure that there are no air bubbles. Smooth the top of the cheesecake
with a palette knife or metal spoon.
Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 1 hour until set.
To make the topping, place the washed cherries into a saucepan with the sugar and top up with approx 2 cups of water. as soon as it reaches boiling point, turn the heat down so the water is at a simmer. Do not overcook the cherries, they should not be too soft. Remove the cherries and allow the liquid to reduce till it is has a syrupy consistency. Place the cherries back into the pot until it has cooled down a bit. Remove the cheesecake from the tin and pour the cherry syrup over.
Thanks 'Howie' for braving our scorching 'African sun' with your fair' Brit skin' and making such a 'worthy contribution' to a really scrumptious dessert!
"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."
Oprah Winfrey
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