CATCHING UP

After not posting anything for one and a half years, I have been persuaded to resume. Most of my posts will be recipes, which gives me a good excuse to go through my many cookbooks seeking out some old favourites. But hope to find some other topics to write about too!

We went to a BBQ at friends Isabel and Brians on Sunday, good company, good food and good weather, a winning combination. I took along a dessert which seemed to be popular so am making the recipe for that my 1st post. It came from the July issue of Good Food but I tweaked it a bit. The original used blueberries but as I have loads in the garden right now, I used raspberries.

ICED RASPBERRY & LIME CHEESECAKE
Serves at least 12

3 limes
50g caster sugar
250g raspberries
FOR THE CHEESECAKE
3 egg whites
140g icing sugar
250g mascarpone
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional-I don't like it!)
300ml double cream
FOR THE BASE
250g box soft amaretti biscuits
50g butter

Line the base of a large cake tin with cling film. Finely grate the rind from limes. Sqeeze the juice and put into pan with sugar. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar then boil until syrupy. Fold in the raspberries and spoon into tin. Whisk egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the icing sugar. Beat the mascarpone with zest and vanilla. Whip the cream until it just holds its shape then fold into marscapone. Fold in meringue using the whisk blades. Spoon into tin, using the back of a spoon to level the top. Break up the amaretti biscuits into crumbs. Melt butter and add to crumbs then spoon over mixture in tin, pressing lighly with your hands. Freeze the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight is better. Transfer the cheesecake to the fridge for 30 mins. Turn out on to a flat serving dish and remove the cling film.

If anybody makes any of my posted recipes, I would love to hear your comments!