My Five Favourite Desserts from 2020

Hello everyone and Welcome to 2021 – it’s gotta be better right!

So why not start it off with a luscious dessert from 2020.

We certainly had quite the hiccup at the end of 2020 so definitely a wee bit of sweetness to kick off 2021 is in order. It was soooo hard to choose though so I may have to bring you another five favs at a later date. Easing into the new year and everyone’s new normal comes with challenges of course but why not treat yourself and your loved ones to one of these scrumptious eat any time treats.

So first off is:

The No-bake Cheesecake Slice from Delicious at our Table. A beautiful, smooth and simple dessert that is light and refreshing.

This luscious no-bake strawberry cheesecake would easily feed 10. I gave some to my guests to take home and we also had left overs for a couple of nights. It is light and mousse like without the more traditional dense texture of cheesecake. With the layering, every mouthful is a surprise.

Number two: Strawberry Cannoli Tart from the September 2020 Woolworths Magazine. Creamy & light with a beautiful pastry crust. Super easy to make.

Number three: Lemon Curd Tiramisu from the July 2020 Delicious Magazine. Much lighter than the traditional Tiramisu. I have cooked several different versions of tiramisu but from now on this is going to be my “go to” version. Why? Not only is it lighter but the absence of coffee and the introduction of the light & tangy limoncello mixed with the richness of the cream and mascarpone really gives this dessert the edge. At first I thought that the double layer of savoiardi biscuits on the base would be too much soaked in the limoncello and I was going to suggest that one layer would do. No! it is fabulous with the two layers.

Number four: Balsamic Strawberries from the Women’s Weekly Complete Cook book. I now use these strawberries with so many things, especially on a pavlova. Very few ingredients and gorgeous on a summer night.

Number five: Salted Caramel Cheesecake – recipe from a friend. The best ever cheesecake recipe, I promise you.

Now, quite often baked cheesecakes can be heavy and gluggy but this just seems to have a lightness about it and the flavour is mild even though there is a lot of sugar what with the cup of brown sugar and the golden syrup as well. Topped with a combination of cream and sour cream and then the drizzle of caramel and salt flakes this is one of those truly celebration desserts for a very special meal or afternoon tea or morning tea, or supper or well just any time at all really. As I write this I am desperate for a slice – I’ll make one tomorrow!

Perhaps over the holiday break you can try a couple of these and delight the family.

From my table to yours with love x

No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake Slice

Start the day before you need this. The cashews will need to be soaked the day before that.

1⅔ c cashews, soaked overnight in cold water
250 g chocolate ripple biscuits
80 g unsalted butter (melted, cooled)
⅔ c caster sugar
500 g cream cheese (at room temperature)
500 g strawberries (hulled)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
6 titanium-strength gelatine leaves
180 g white chocolate (chopped)
300 ml pure (thin) cream
500 g sour cream

Grease and line a 28cm loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving plenty overhanging the sides. Place the biscuits in a food processor and whiz to crumb. Add butter and whiz to combine. Press chocolate crumb into the base of the pan and chill until needed.
Wipe out food processor, then drain cashews and add to processor. Whiz until smooth. Add sugar and cream cheese, and whiz to combine. Add strawberries and vanilla, then whiz until smooth and combined.
Soak 4 gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place cream in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and add to cream, stirring until melted and combined, then pour the cream mixture over white chocolate and set aside for 30 seconds. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool to room temp then add white chocolate mixture to strawberry mixture and whiz to combine. Pour strawberry mixture over chocolate base, then chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight until set.
When the mixture has set, soak remaining 2 gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Place sour cream in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth and warmed through. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and add to the sour cream, stirring until melted and combined. Cool mixture to room temp, then pour evenly over strawberry layer. Freeze for 10 minutes, then chill for 1 hour or until set.
Slice cheesecake into generous bars using a warm knife.

Strawberry Cannoli Tart

1½ c plain four
125 g unsalted butter (chilled, chopped)
¾ c caster sugar
¼ c pistachio kernels
1 free range egg
1 c thickened cream
150 g ricotta (you don't want very smooth ricotta)
250 g mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp mini choc chips
250 g strawberries (hulled, halved)

Grease a 25cm (3.5cm deep) round loose-based fluted tart pan.
Place flour, butter, ¼ cup sugar and pistachio in a food processor and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk egg and 1 tbsp cold water in a small bowl. While motor is running, slowly add egg mixture to flour mixture. Process until mixture starts to come together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Shape dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest.
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, whisk cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed. Using an electric mixer, whisk ricotta, mascarpone, remaining sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until combined. Using a spatula, gently fold the cream mixture and choc chips into ricotta mixture. Refrigerate until needed.
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Meanwhile, roll pastry out between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 30cm circle. Line pan with pastry, trimming any excess. Prick base several times with a fork, then refrigerate for 15 mins to rest. Remove pan from fridge and line with baking paper, fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice then bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights or rice and baking paper, then bake for a further 12 minutes or until base is golden. Allow to cool completely in pan.
Spoon ricotta mixture into tart case and spread out evenly with back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 30 mins. Arrange strawberries on tart. Serve

Lemon Curd Tiramisu

Begin this a day ahead. You will need a 2.7L 24cm x 10cm x 11cm terrine mould. Alternatively use a 3L serving dish of your choice and serve directly from the bowl.

525 ml thick cream
1 titanium-strength gelatine leat (softened in cold water for 5 mins)
4 egg yolks
1 c caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
500 g good-quality mascarpone (at room temperature)
1 c store-bought lemon curd
32 savoiardi biscuits
1 c limoncello
pure icing sugar to dust

Place ½ cup (125ml) cream in a small saucepan and bring to just below the boil. Remove from the heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and stir into hot cream until dissolved. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
Place yolks and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk for 5 minutes on high speed until thick and pale and sugar has partially dissolved. Whisk in remaining 400ml cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form (about 5 mins) and sugar has completely dissolved. reduce speed to low and whisk in mascarpone and lemon curd until combined and thick. Whisk in cooled cream and gelatine mix. Set aside.
Cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside a 2.7L 24cm x 10cm x 11cm terrine mould. Wrap the cardboard in aluminium foil (this provides a stable base to help remove tiramisu once set. Grease the mould and line base and long sides with a double layer of baking paper with 5cm overhang. (Grease in between layers to stick them together).
Place the aluminium-covered cardboard over the baking paper in the base of the pan. Measure savoiardi against the mould, trimming to fit if necessary.
Place limoncello in a wide bowl. Dip both sides of 8 savoiardi biscuits in limoncello and place in mould, then dip another 8 and lay on top to create a 2-layer biscuit base. Top with half of the cream mixture. Continue layering with 8 dipped biscuits and remaining cream mixture. Dip remaining 8 biscuits in limoncello, arrange on top. Chill overnight or until set. Using overhanging baking paper, lift tiramisu from mould and transfer to a serving plate.
Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Balsamic Strawberries with Mascarpone

This recipe is just so easy and delicious. Prep time does not include refrigeration.

500 g Strawberries (halved)
1/4 c (55g) Caster sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 c (250g) Mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp Icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 c Mint leaves (coarsely chopped)

Combine strawberries, sugar and vinegar in medium bowl, cover; refrigerate 20 mins. Combine mascarpone, icing sugar and extract in small bowl. To serve – stir mint into strawberry mixture; divide among serving dishes. Dollop with mascarpone.

Salted Caramel and Vanilla Baked Cheesecake

Start this the day before

500 g plain sweet biscuits
½ c almond meal
150 g butter (melted)
350 g ricotta
500 g cream cheese
1 c brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp golden syrup
¼ tsp table salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c single cream
1 c sour cream
1 tbsp icing sugar (sifted)
sea flakes (for sprinkling)

Caramel Sauce

1 c single cream
60 g butter (chopped)
1 c brown sugar

To make the caramel sauce, place the cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, bring to the boil and cook for 5-7 mins or until thickened. Set aside and allow to cool.
Preheat over to 160°c. Place the biscuits and almond meal in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Add the butter and process to combine. Press the biscuit mixture into the base and sides of a lightly greased 22cm (I would use a 24cm) springform cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Place ricotta and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5-6 minutes or until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for 3-4 minutes or until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the golden syrup, table salt and ½ the vanilla and beat until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into the biscuit shell. Place the tin in a baking dish and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the tin. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove cheesecake from the baking dish and allow to cool in the tin. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.
Place the cream, sour cream, icing sugar and remaining vanilla in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Top the cheesecake with the cream, drizzle with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt flakes to serve.