We’re continuing our festive theme — this week we cover off on desserts.
Lime and Berry Cheesecake Tart
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With its ginger-flavoured base, creamy lemony filling and topped with fresh berries, this tart will be an instant hit at your next gathering.
Ingredients:
250g ginger nut biscuits
100g unsalted butter, melted
½ cup thickened cream
250g cream cheese, softened
½ cup caster sugar
2 tsp finely grated lime rind
2 tbsp lime juice
2 egg whites
250g fresh mixed berries and cherries
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method:
Blend or process biscuits to fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until well combined. Press mixture evenly and firmly into a 35cm x 12cm rectangular loose-based fluted tart tin.
Place on oven tray and bake at 180°C (160°C fan-forced) for 10 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove from tin and cool completely.
Beat cream until soft peaks form and set aside. Beat cream cheese, ⅓ cup of the sugar, lime rind and juice until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream.
Beat egg white in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until thick. Fold egg white mixture into cream cheese in two batches.
Spoon cheesecake mixture into cooled crumb base and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve topped with fruit, dusted with icing sugar.
Handy tip: This tart can be made 3-4 hours before serving. Base can be made a day in advance.
Raspberries and Cream Christmas Tarts
Ingredients:
2 sheets shortcrust pastry
125g cream cheese, cut into 18 cubes, softened
¾ cup raspberry jam
¾ cup slivered almonds
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method:
Using a 7cm diameter round cutter, cut 18 rounds from the pastry sheets. Press pastry into a greased patty pan or mini tart tins.
Squash one square of cream cheese in each tart case and spoon over a teaspoonful of jam, sprinkle with almonds.
Bake at 180°C for 10-12 minutes until pastry and almonds are golden. Cool for at least 15 minutes before dusting with icing sugar and serving warm or at room temperature.
Handy tip: Tarts are best served the day they are made, but can be kept refrigerated for two days.
White Christmas Rocky Road Ice-Cream
Ingredients:
600ml thickened cream
1 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence or extract
1½ cups white marshmallows, halved
1 cup shaved coconut, toasted
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
½ cup glacé cherries, chopped
½ cup thickened cream, extra
200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
Method:
Beat cream, condensed milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until thick, creamy and doubled in volume.
Fold in marshmallows, coconut, almonds and cherries.
Pour mix into a cling wrap-lined round 24cm cake pan and freeze until firm.
Place cream in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Remove and add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
Remove ice-cream from pan and invert onto a serving platter. Serve individual portions drizzled with dark chocolate sauce.
Handy tip: Substitute cherries for fruit mince, craisins or dried apricots.
Recipes and photos: https://www.dairy.com.au/