ALMOND SHORTBREAD, CHEESECAKE AND STRAWBERRY STACK
SERVES 12 PREPARATION: 20 MIN CHILLING: DOUGH 15 MIN CHEESECAKE 10 MIN BAKING: 10 MIN
SHORTBREAD
75g ice-cold butter, diced 20g icing sugar 5ml (1t) grated orange zest 100g cake flour 30g ground almonds 30g fine breadcrumbs pinch of salt
CHEESECAKE
10ml (2t) gelatin 1 tub ( 230g) creamed cottage cheese 250ml (1c) cream zest and juice of 2 lemons 5ml (1t) vanilla essence 75g icing sugar
COMPOTE
250g frozen berries a little sugar 80ml (¹⁄3c) green tea with buchu
STRAWBERRIES
250g fresh strawberries, sliced 30ml (2T) castor sugar 5ml (1t) black pepper
SHERBET
500ml (2c) icing sugar 12,5ml (2½t) tartaric acid 12,5ml (2½t) bicarbonate of soda
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
1 Shortbread Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined and the dough starts clinging to the blade.
2 Remove, shape into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
3 Remove from the fridge and roll into golf ball-size balls. Flatten between two sheets of baking paper. Arrange on the greased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until done.
4 Cheesecake Sprinkle the gelatin into 15ml (1T) cold water and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Heat in the microwave until the gelatin has just dissolved.
5 Beat the rest of the ingredients together, add a little of the mixture to the gelatin and mix. Transfer the gelatin mixture to the rest of the cream cheese mixture and stir. Spoon into a piping bag and chill in the fridge until fairly firm.
6 Compote Put the berries, sugar and tea in a saucepan and simmer until syrupy and soft, then mash the berries. Strain through a sieve if you like.
7 Strawberries Mix all the ingredients.
8 Sherbet Sift all the ingredients together three times.
9 To finish Pipe a bit of the cheesecake mixture onto a plate, put a shortbread biscuit on top and finish off with another dollop of cheesecake mixture. Spoon strawberries and compote on top. Repeat the layers twice. Finish off with a dusting of sherbet and serve.