The persuasive cheesecake
Each fortnight Spotswood College and New Plymouth Boys’ High School showcase the talents and tasty treats of their students who take the subject, with a focus on lifelong skills that can be used every day to enhance the benefits of a healthy diet and life
While the students in our Food and Nutrition Department are well versed with the importance of eating a wellbalanced diet that focuses on healthy nutrients and regular eating and portion control, a group of senior students last week successfully persuaded me to let them make cheesecake.
They had waited patiently all year for this special occasion. Their goal was then to research cheesecake recipes and trial one that was within their capabilities, budget and time constraints.
Most traditional cheesecake recipes are energy-dense which means they are high in hidden fats, due to the butter, cream cheese and cream content and so the students were set the task of modifying the original recipe to cut down the fat and sugar content and increase the nutritional content.
The girls increased the fruit content by adding more juice and zest from a lemon and an orange. The overall sugar content was decreased by a quarter and we decided that the best way to decrease the fat content was to decrease the serving shape and size of the cheesecake.
We made it in a square tin, rather than a circle, so it could be cut into smaller individual pieces and not the larger, more difficultto-cut triangular wedges that come with cutting a round cheesecake.
We have also been experimenting with muesli bar recipes and aiming to cut down on their sugar content. Many processed bars, which are a popular lunch box item, have a high refined sugar content.
Our recipe uses dates and maple syrup to add ‘sweetness’ and eliminate the need to add refined white sugar altogether. With the addition of water, dates form a sticky, mushy texture which binds well with the other ingredients. Dates also provide a good source of fibre, natural sweetness and minerals such as iron, potassium, calcium and sodium.
Roasting the almonds adds a nutty flavour and, along with the peanut butter, rolled oats and coconut, add a good source of plant protein, complex (healthy) carbohydrates and energy.
The muesli bar recipe is versatile and can be made into balls as well. Aim to make the size and shape of both the muesli bars or muesli balls according to the age of the clientele who will be consuming them. Larger bars/ balls for teenagers and smaller for younger children or elderly adults. We recommend that these items be refrigerated until consumed as they will hold their shape and their texture will remain firm. These Muesli Bar/ Ball recipes are a healthy replacement to the traditional ones which were high in refined sugar and fat (butter).
Our Zesty Lemon and Raspberry Cheesecake is a treat food and a welcome sight at any special occasions and fits in well at this time of the year when we celebrate this time of the year and all the festivities that are associated with it.
Our Date and Almond Muesli Slice and Date and Almond Muesli Balls can be given as gifts as Christmas approaches, using your choice of packaging or plating. The creative options are endless and everybody always likes tasty, edible treats.
Date and Almond Muesli Balls
1 cup of chopped dates – firmly packed
cup maple syrup (or honey)
cup salted peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 cup roasted unsalted almonds – roughly chopped
11⁄2 cups rolled oats cup coconut cup coconut – extra for coating balls Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
In a medium size bowl, place the dates and just cover with boiling water. Leave for an hour, drain half of the water off and then squash gently against the side of the bowl with a fork until the mixture is creamy. Alternatively place the dates in a food processor and process until nearly smooth. Add a little hot water if too dry as it should form into a wet dough ball.
Toast the oats (and almonds if they are raw) by placing together in a large baking dish and cooking in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Warm the maple syrup and peanut butter in a small saucepan over a low heat or in a pyrex jug in the microwave. Stir and pour over the oat mixture, along with the dates and coconut. Mix together well. Using wet hands, roll the mixture into small balls and roll in coconut. Place on a plate and put into the fridge or freezer to firm up.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Date and Almond Muesli Slice
1 cup of chopped dates – firmly packed
cup maple syrup (or honey or agave nectar)
cup salted peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 cup roasted unsalted almonds – roughly chopped
11⁄2 cups rolled oats
⁄ cup coconut Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
In a medium size bowl, place the dates and just cover with boiling water. Leave for an hour, drain half of the water off and then squash gently against the side of the bowl with a fork until the mixture is creamy. Alternatively place the dates in a food processor and process until nearly smooth. Add a little hot water if too dry as it should form into a wet dough ball.
Toast the oats (and almonds if they are raw) by placing together in a large baking dish and cooking in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Warm the maple syrup and peanut butter in a small saucepan over a low heat or in a pyrex jug in the microwave. Stir and pour over the oat mixture, along with the dates and coconut. Mix together well.
Line a 25 x 25cm baking tin or dish with plastic wrap or baking paper and press the mixture firmly and evenly into it. This helps the muesli slice to hold together.
Cover and refrigerate or freeze for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the tin by lifting the gladwrap or baking paper out and cut into even-sized bars or squares.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Zesty Lemon and Raspberry Cheesecake Makes one large cheesecake
100g butter
150g (12 Digestive biscuits) cup rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla essence
400g cream cheese cup caster sugar
1 lemon – zest and juice
1 orange – zest
225ml cream
1 cup blueberries
Raspberry Topping
cup caster sugar
1 cup raspberries – fresh or defrosted in a small bowl and blend together with a fork.
Mix the sugar and raspberries
Base
Line a 23 x 23cm square tin with baking paper, overlapping the sides so the cheesecake can be lifted out more easily.
Crush the biscuits until they are just fine crumbs, using a food processor.
Place the rolled oats in a medium size saucepan and toast them until they turn slightly darker in colour.
Cut the butter into cubes and add to the saucepan with the biscuit crumbs and gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is combined.
Remove from the heat and spoon the mixture into the cake tin. Smooth out evenly.
Gently push down on the biscuit base, using the back of a metal spoon or with clean fingers until packed down evenly. Place into the fridge to chill
and set for 1 hour.
Filling
Into a large bowl, place the cream cheese, vanilla essence, caster sugar, lemon and orange zest and the juice from the lemon. Stir until smooth. In another small bowl, lightly whip the cream until you have soft peaks. Add to the cream cheese mixture and gently stir together. Place the fresh or frozen blueberries over the chilled biscuit base.
Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit and berry base, then use the back of the spoon to spread evenly. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more, until chilled and set.
To Assemble and Serve
Lift the cheesecake out of the tin by lifting the sides of the baking paper.
Place on a large serving plate and spoon the raspberry mixture evenly over the top of
the cheesecake using the back of the spoon.
Cut into small squares and serve. Cheesecake is a high risk food, so it needs to be stored in the refrigerator.