Cheesecake

    * 250g digestive biscuits

    * 100g butter , melted

    * 1 vanilla pod

    * 600g soft cheese

    * 100g icing sugar

    * 284ml pot double cream

   . 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

   1. Make the base: Butter and line a 23cm loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment. Put the biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, then pour over the 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.

  2. Remove the vanilla seeds: 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.

  3. Make the filling: Place the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla seeds in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Tip in the 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.

   4. 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 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.

Profiterole

Cappuccino profiteroles

• 150g/5oz unsalted butter
• 225ml/8fl oz water
• 225g/8oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 6 free-range eggs
• pinch salt
• 300ml/10½fl oz whipping cream
• 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
• 100g/3½oz icing sugar, sifted
• 200g/7oz sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz water
• 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
• 50ml/2fl oz coffee liqueur
• 120ml/4fl oz (4 shots) espresso (or strong black coffee)

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

For the choux buns, place the butter and water into a saucepan over a high heat and heat until the butter melts and the mixture boils.

Take the pan off the heat, add the flour and mix well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture with a wooden spoon to incorporate well before adding the next egg. Beat until a loose dough is formed, then season with a pinch of salt. Allow to cool slightly.

Transfer the dough to a piping bag. Pipe eight golf ball-sized 'blobs' of pastry onto a floured baking tray. The thing to remember is that the pastry will double in size while baking, so leave plenty of space on the sheet between the blobs of dough to allow them to expand.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden and firm on the outside and dry in the middle. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the filling, whisk the whipping cream, vanilla seeds and icing sugar in a clean bowl, until it becomes thick and stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed from the mixture. Fill a clean piping bag with the cream mixture.

To make the sauce, place the sugar, water and vanilla seeds into a saucepan. Bring to the boil then simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes, until thickened to a syrup.

Add the coffee liqueur and espresso shots and simmer for a few minutes more, until thickened again.

To finish, make a small hole in the base of each profiterole with the tip of a knife and, using the full piping bag, pipe in some of the vanilla cream.

To serve, place each profiterole into the middle of a plate and pour over some warm espresso sauce.

Banana Ice Cream

Description

This is the world’s easiest ice cream. It takes literally a minute to put together—since it’s winter, I simply set the bowl of chocolate and milk on the radiator, and while I leisurely and lovingly take the time to peel the banana, the chocolate melts and is soon ready to use.

You can easily increase this recipe to make more than it calls for. I haven’t tried it with any other liquor, but for those of you who want to experiment, you do need to include a similar amount and percentage of alcohol to prevent the ice cream from freezing too hard. The banana gives the ice cream a smooth, creamy consistency and provides the sweetness, so use a nice, ripe one.

I found that this keeps for weeks in the freezer and maintains it’s absolutely perfect consistency. Cheers!

Ingredients

55 g bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

80 ml milk, whole or low-fat

80 ml Baileys liquor

1 medium-sized ripe banana, peeled*, and cut into chunks

1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark rum

Method

1. In a small bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave), melt the chocolate with the milk.

2. Blend the melted chocolate the Baileys, the banana, and rum until smooth.

3. Pour into a plastic or metal container, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours.