"#MeatFreeMonday and more #SummerEating:
Glazed Wensleydale Garlic & Three Herb Cheesecake
You can serve this rich but delicate savoury cheesecake without the glaze if you prefer, just add a few cucumber slices and, if you have them, borage flowers for decoration. But if you do have time, glazing the top does make it extra special. If you don’t have such a large cake tin, make several smaller cheesecakes, just reduce the cooking times slightly.
Base:
180g flour
90g butter
30g sesame seeds
3 digestive biscuits, crushed – Dove’s Farm are excellent
pinch salt
Topping:
750g cottage cheese
450g Greek yoghurt
8 eggs, separated
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
3 tbs chopped herbs: I used a tbs each of parsley, mint and lemon thyme but you can choose your own favourite combination
salt, freshly ground black pepper
375g vegetarian Wensleydale cheese, finely grated
Glaze:
350ml vegetable stock
1 tbs white wine or lime juice
1 tsp agar agar
a few sprigs of herbs, slices of lime etc to decorate.
Preheat the oven to 150˚C.
Rub the butter into the flour. Stir in the sesame seeds, biscuit crumbs and salt. Press into the base of a greased 30cm loose bottomed cake tin. Put into the oven for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the filling.
Combine the cottage cheese, yoghurt and egg yolks – a wand blender or food processor helps here. Stir in the herbs, garlic and Wensleydale, carefully combining. Season with a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stiffly whisk the egg whites and fold through the cheese mixture. Do this gently ensuring there are no clouds of egg white left but that the mixture is light and homogenous. Pour into the cake tin on top of the base. Level and put in the oven for about an hour. The topping should be firm but not too dry. Turn the oven off and open the door. Leave to cool slowly. Then put in the refrigerator overnight.
Put the stock, wine or lime juice and agar agar in a little pan. Whilst whisking bring the mixture up to the boil. Pour gently all over the top of the cheesecake, decorate and then return to the refrigerator to set for at least half an hour. To serve, slip off the sides and slide onto a platter. Serve in thin wedges as it is quite rich.
You can vary the cheesecake by using different cheeses: blue cheese with a walnutty base and port-poached pears for the topping or new season dark grapes."
You can serve this rich but delicate savoury cheesecake without the glaze if you prefer, just add a few cucumber slices and, if you have them, borage flowers for decoration. But if you do have time, glazing the top does make it extra special. If you don’t have such a large cake tin, make several smaller cheesecakes, just reduce the cooking times slightly.
Base:
180g flour
90g butter
30g sesame seeds
3 digestive biscuits, crushed – Dove’s Farm are excellent
pinch salt
Topping:
750g cottage cheese
450g Greek yoghurt
8 eggs, separated
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
3 tbs chopped herbs: I used a tbs each of parsley, mint and lemon thyme but you can choose your own favourite combination
salt, freshly ground black pepper
375g vegetarian Wensleydale cheese, finely grated
Glaze:
350ml vegetable stock
1 tbs white wine or lime juice
1 tsp agar agar
a few sprigs of herbs, slices of lime etc to decorate.
Preheat the oven to 150˚C.
Rub the butter into the flour. Stir in the sesame seeds, biscuit crumbs and salt. Press into the base of a greased 30cm loose bottomed cake tin. Put into the oven for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the filling.
Combine the cottage cheese, yoghurt and egg yolks – a wand blender or food processor helps here. Stir in the herbs, garlic and Wensleydale, carefully combining. Season with a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stiffly whisk the egg whites and fold through the cheese mixture. Do this gently ensuring there are no clouds of egg white left but that the mixture is light and homogenous. Pour into the cake tin on top of the base. Level and put in the oven for about an hour. The topping should be firm but not too dry. Turn the oven off and open the door. Leave to cool slowly. Then put in the refrigerator overnight.
Put the stock, wine or lime juice and agar agar in a little pan. Whilst whisking bring the mixture up to the boil. Pour gently all over the top of the cheesecake, decorate and then return to the refrigerator to set for at least half an hour. To serve, slip off the sides and slide onto a platter. Serve in thin wedges as it is quite rich.
You can vary the cheesecake by using different cheeses: blue cheese with a walnutty base and port-poached pears for the topping or new season dark grapes."
Glad I have found Sarah Beattie on both twitter and facebook. Definitely worth getting her book with some great ideas and so beautifully presented.
