Strawberry cheesecake in 4 easy steps

Prep: 30 mins Plus 1 hr and overnight chilling
Servings
Cuts into 12 slices

Follow our step-by-step recipe for this easy no-cook cheesecake – a delicious summer dessert for all occasions

Ingredients

    250g digestive biscuits
    100g butter, melted
    1 vanilla pod
    600g soft cheese
    100g icing sugar
    284ml pot double cream

For the topping

    400g punnet strawberries, halved and stoned
    25g icing sugar

Method

    EQUIPMENT: 23cm loose-bottomed tin, baking parchment, plastic food bag, rolling pin, large bowl, dessert spoon, chopping board, kitchen knife, electric mixer, spatula, serving plate, blender or food processor, sieve
    Make the base: Butter and line a 23cm loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment. Put 250g digestive biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, then pour over 100g melted butter. Mix thoroughly until the crumbs are completely coated. Tip them into the prepared tin and press firmly down into the base to create an even layer. Chill in the fridge for 1 hr to set firmly.
    Remove the vanilla seeds from 1 pod: Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways, leaving the tip intact, so that the two halves are still joined. Holding onto the tip of the pod, scrape out the seeds using the back of a kitchen knife.
    Make the filling: Place 600g soft cheese, 100g icing sugar and the vanilla seeds in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Tip in 284ml pot double cream and continue beating until the mixture is completely combined. Now spoon the cream mixture onto the biscuit base, working from the edges inwards and making sure that there are no air bubbles. Smooth the top of the cheesecake down with the back of a dessert spoon or spatula. Leave to set in the fridge overnight.
    Un-moulding and topping: Bring the cheesecake to room temperature, about 30 mins before serving. To un-mould, place the base on top of a can, then gradually pull the sides of the tin down. Slip the cake onto a serving plate, removing the lining paper and base. Purée half the 400g punnet strawberries in a blender or food processor with 25g icing sugar and 1 tsp water, then sieve. Pile the remaining strawberries onto the cake, then pour over purée.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, August 2007
BBC GoodFood Magazine

Chocolate Panini

Put together this quick and easy dessert while your main dish cooks. Just before serving, toast the sweet sandwich until the chocolate filling is warm and gooey.

    Makes: 4 servings
    Prep 10 mins
    Cook 8 mins

This grilled dessert bread is filled with chopped chocolate. Serve it alone or with fresh fruit.
Ingredients

    8 3/4-inch thick slices challah bread or Hawaiian sweet bread
    2 tablespoons butter, melted
    4 -6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
    Powdered sugar

Directions

    Heat a grill pan or a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, brush one side of each bread slice with some of the melted butter. Place half of the bread slices on a work surface, buttered side down; sprinkle with chocolate, covering the bread to within 1/4-inch of the crust. Top with remaining slices, buttered sides up. Place sandwiches, 2 at a time, in grill pan; weigh down top of sandwiches with a large heavy skillet.
    Grill the sandwiches over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until the chocolate is melted and bread is golden brown, turning once halfway through grilling time. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. (Or preheat a covered indoor grill. Place sandwiches, two at a time, in preheated grill, cover, and grill 4 minutes or until chocolate melts and bread is golden.)
    To serve, cut each sandwich into quarters. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

Quickly warm pineapple in butter and brown sugar, then spoon the softened fruit over crumbled pound cake and dulce de leche ice cream.

    Makes: 4 servings
    Prep 15 mins

Quickly warm pineapple in butter and brown sugar, then spoon the softened fruit over crumbled pound cake and dulce de leche ice cream.
Ingredients

    1/4 cup butter
    1/4 cup packed brown sugar
    1 tablespoon honey
    1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 cup chopped pineapple or canned pineapple tidbits (juice pack), drained
    1 pint dulce de leche or vanilla ice cream
    1/4 of a 10 3/4-ounce loaf frozen pound cake, thawed and coarsely crumbled and, if desired, toasted*
    4 maraschino cherries with stems
    Whipped cream

Directions

    In a heavy small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add pineapple. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Remove from heat.
    Scoop ice cream into four dishes. Top with crumbled cake, warm pineapple mixture, whipped cream and a cherry. Serve immediately.

Irish Apple Cake

"Wonderful with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Just a touch of spice and the lemon is a nice touch to set off the applesauce. Hope you enjoy. Top with whipped cream or lemon sauce."

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 1 9x9-inch cake Change Servings

    3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

    3/4 cup white sugar

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    3 egg yolks

    1 cup butter, softened

    1 lemon, zest grated

    1 3/4 cups applesauce

    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
    Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan.
    Mix flour, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
    Beat in egg yolks, butter, and lemon zest until dough is thoroughly mixed.
    Mix applesauce, cinnamon, and cloves together in a small bowl.
    Press half the dough into the prepared baking pan; spread applesauce mixture over dough in a layer. Top with remaining dough.
    Bake in the preheated oven until cake is browned, 40 to 45 minutes.

Bananas in Caramel Sauce

"A delicious, fast dessert. Impressive served when the sauce is still bubbling! Serve with coconut ice cream, if desired."

Original recipe makes 4 servings

    1/2 cup butter

    1 cup superfine sugar

    1 1/4 cups heavy cream

    4 bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise

Directions

    Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar is melted and light brown. Slowly stir in the cream (mixture will bubble up).
    Let mixture boil 1 minute, then reduce heat to low. Place the bananas in the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart

Nestled in a creamy filling and crumbly graham cracker crust, strawberries shine in this delectable tart.

"OUTSTANDING!!!" said MegLee. "I made this as a birthday treat for my mother, everyone loved it, especially her!!! I can't wait for an occasion to make this again.

Ingredients

Crust:
36 honey graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons water
Cooking spray
Filling:
2/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Topping:
6 cups small fresh strawberries, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and water; pulse just until moist. Place mixture in a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan to 3/4 inch. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell.

To prepare topping, place 2 cups strawberries in food processor; process until pureed. Combine strawberry puree, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute. Remove glaze from heat, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Combine 4 cups strawberries and juice; toss to coat. Arrange berries, bottoms up, in a circular pattern over filling. Spoon half of glaze evenly over berries (reserve remaining glaze for another use). Sprinkle nuts around edge. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Note: You can use either an 8 x 12-inch rectangular pan or a 9-inch round tart pan. The recipe also works with a 9-inch springform pan and a 10-inch pie plate.

Delicious Ways to Mix Jicama and Orange

C in the spotlight! Both jicama and oranges are packed with the potent antioxidant vitamin.

Some foods, weirdly enough, just taste better together. Try these four jicama and orange recipes to see for yourself.

Romulo Yanes

Seared Tuna with Orange and Jicama Salsa
4 yellowfin tuna steaks (6 oz each)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp olive oil

Salsa
2 oranges
2 cups grated jicama
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp finely chopped red chili pepper
1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 pinch salt

Zest one orange, then segment both over a bowl, reserving any juice. Combine orange segments, juice, and zest with remaining salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove tuna from fridge 10 minutes prior to cooking and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear tuna for 2 minutes, flip, then sear 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using tongs, sear the edges. Serve with salsa.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 270 cal, 4 g fat (l g sat), 15 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 390 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 41 g protein


Three More Delicious Recipes
1. Turkey club wrap: In a small bowl, mash 1 avocado with a fork. Peel and segment 1 orange over the bowl, squeezing juice from the membranes, and combine with avocado. Spread each of 4 large lettuce leaves (iceberg, romaine, or red leaf) with 1/4 of the avocado mixture. Top each with 1 oz deli turkey; 1 oz thinly sliced jicama; 1/2 slice cooked bacon, crumbled; 1/2 tomato, halved and sliced; and 1 Tbsp dried cranberries. Roll each leaf like a burrito and cut in the middle, securing each half with a toothpick. Serves 4.

2. Spicy roasted jicama and oranges: Cut 1 pound peeled jicama into logs 2 to 3 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick. Cut 2 oranges into 8 wedges, remove the center pith, then cut the wedges in half crosswise. Toss the jicama and oranges with 2 tsp olive oil and 4 1/2 tsp fajita seasoning mix. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in a preheated 400°F oven for 20 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Cool slightly before serving. Serves 4.

3. Jicama-orange salad: Peel 1 pound jicama and cut into matchsticks. Thinly slice 4 scallions and 8 radishes and toss with jicama. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, and 4 tsp honey. Pour liquid over jicama mixture and toss to coat. Peel and cut 4 oranges into about 6 slices each, dividing among 4 plates. Loosely pile the jicama mixture in the center of the oranges. Serves 4.

Pecan Praline Coffee Cake

The fragrance: Sweet + Woods or Herbs (like Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau De Parfum Spray, $62, lancome-usa.com)
The recipe: Pecan Praline Coffee Cake
Developed by: Tiffany MacIsaac of Buttercream Bakeshop in Washington, D.C.

14 Tbsp (2 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup + 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar, divided
2 Tbsp molasses
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
1 recipe Sage Crumble Topping (below)

1. Melt butter, and set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Whisk to combine buttermilk, eggs, sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and molasses in a mixing bowl.

3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt in a separate bowl.

4. Add wet mixture and melted butter to dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.

5. Spray a 11" x 7" baking pan with cooking spray, and pour half the batter into the pan. Spread evenly. Sprinkle the pecans and reserved 3 Tbsp brown sugar evenly over the batter.

6. Pour the remaining batter on top of the pecans and spread to the edges. Top with sage crumble, and bake 55-65 minutes, rotating the pan after the first 30 minutes. The cake will be golden brown when it's done, and a small knife inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean.

For the Sage Crumble Topping:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
5-6 sage leaves
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt

1. Combine flour, sugar, and sage in a food processor, and process 45-60 seconds, or until the sage is no longer visible.

2. Add butter and salt while the machine is running, and mix to combine.

Yummy Recipes That Will Make Your Kitchen Smell Absolutely Heavenly

Gourmand fragrances (ones that have an edible quality) are ditching their overly saccharine rep—and getting way more sophisticated (you can read more about this in our April issue, on newsstands now). So we asked top pastry chefs to whip up desserts inspired by the hottest new scent combinations. They taste every bit as good as they smell. The only question? Which one will you make first.
Courtesy of Chef Christina Tosi

The fragrance: Sweet + Aquatic (like Maison Martin Margiela Replica Beach Walk, $125, sephora.com)
The recipe: Salt and Pepper Cookies
Developed by: Chef Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milkbar in New York City

 16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1⁄4 tsp baking soda

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and cream on high until homogenous, about 3 minutes. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer.) Add egg, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

3. Add flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, and baking soda, mixing until just combined, about 30 seconds.

4. Portion 2 3⁄4-ounce scoops of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 9 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on the pan.

Roast Sticky Chicken-Rotisserie Style

Recipe by Sue Rogers

"Ever wish you could get that restaurant-style rotisserie chicken at home? Well, with minimal preparation and about 5 hours' cooking time (great for the weekends!) you can! I don't bother to baste the bird, though some like to for the first hour. The pan juices always caramelize at the bottom, and the chicken will turn golden brown...fall-off-the-bone good!"

Ingredients
  4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
 1 teaspoon dried thyme
 1 teaspoon white pepper
  1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 onions, quartered
 2 (4 pound) whole chickens

Directions

    In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place 1 onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chickens in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
    Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
    Place chickens in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Let the chickens stand for 10 minutes before carving.