Ingredients

Serves: 8

150g plain biscuits-digestives or Marie
45g butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup or golden syrup
120ml cream for whipping
200g cream cheese, room temperature
200g milk chocolate (I use a Lindt chocolate block)

Preparation method

Prep: 30 minutes | Extra time: 1 hour, chilling

Crush biscuits until the consistency of bread crumbs. Melt butter and add the maple syrup to melted butter. Combine butter mixture and biscuits then push into a 17cm springform tin to form the base. Refrigerate.

Melt chocolate in a microwave or double boiler and set aside to cool.

Whip cream with a hand mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Fold in cooled chocolate until well combined. Set this aside.

In a new bowl beat cream cheese until it is a smooth consistency.

Combine cream cheese and chocolate cream mixture together, folding it gently until well combined.

Take base out of fridge and pour mixture over the top. Refrigerate for approximately 40 minutes until the mixture has set.

Enjoy.

Chocolate Fudge Recipe

2 cups of white sugar
1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup of milk
1½ tablespoons of cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Grease or line a 20 centimetre / 8 inch square tin with cooking paper. In a large saucepan mix the sugar and sifted cocoa. Add the milk and butter. Heat the mixture gently stirring constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil, do not stir as this will create sugar crystals. Boil for 6 minutes or until a soft ball is formed when a little drop of mixture is added to a glass of cold water. Remove from the heat, cool slightly and add the vanilla. With an electric beater, beat the mixture until it begins to thicken. Quickly pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Refrigerate until it has set and cut into small squares.

Caramel fudge

Makes 36 squares125g butter
3½ cups firmly packed soft brown sugar
¼ cup golden syrup
Pinch salt
½ cup milk
200g sweetened condensed milk (half a standard 395g tin)
1 tsp vanilla extract1. Grease a 20cm cake tin. Place all ingredients, except vanilla, in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a gentle heat. Warm, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage.2. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, then beat with an electric mixer until thick and creamy. Pour into prepared tin. Caramel fudge is easiest to cut into pieces when just set but still warm.Tip: The soft-ball stage means that when a little of the mixture is dropped into a glass of cold water, the mixture will form a ball that is soft to touch (not hard like toffee). Another way to measure this is to use a specially designed sugar thermometer. When the sugar thermometer reaches 120°C, this is the correct temperature for the soft-ball stage.

Lemon meringue pies

By Annabelle White on 21st September, in Food & recipes,Recipes

Total time

90 minutes
Servings

6
Courses

Dessert
Meal Origin

Kiwi
Occasion

Special occasion

Ready in 1 1/2 hours, serves 6.

You can either use our lemon filling or a commercial curd.

Using good quality pre-rolled pastry also means the time to make this dessert is greatly reduced.

1 1/2 sheets Edmonds pre-rolled sweet pastry
Baking spray
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
1 cup caster sugar

1. Lightly spray six 7cm tartlet tins. Cut out pastry circles using a 10cm cutter. Line the tins with the pastry and prick holes over the base of the pastry.

2. Line the pastry circles with baking paper and fill evenly with baking beans. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.

3. After 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 200ºC and bake the pastry for 10 minutes or until it is golden brown.

4. Remove the baking beans and paper, and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes until the base is cooked.

5. Cool the pastry in the tin before removing.

6. When cool fill with cold lemon curd.

7. Preheat the oven to 220ºC again.

8. Whisk the egg whites, salt, lemon juice and 1/3 of the sugar until stiff. Gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until thick and then pipe or dollop on top of tartlets. Bake for a few minutes for the meringue to set and colour. Stay by the stove!

Lemon curd filling
Makes 1 1/2 cups.

If you have any leftover curd use on hot, buttered toast.

3/4 cup sugar
150g butter
3 lemons, zest and juice
4 x size-6 eggs, whisked very well

1. Place the sugar, butter, lemon zest and juice in a heavy-based pot over a medium heat.

2. Heat carefully until the sugar dissolves – allow 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and cool slightly for 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs.

4. Return to a moderate heat in the double boiler and stir constantly until thick. Don’t let it boil or it will curdle. It should take 5 minutes to thicken.

5. Place in the fridge.