The Cottage Smallholder

Photo: Sam's cheesecake with praline topping

Debonair and charming, Sam serves organic food to the tradesmen of East Anglia. His van is parked in the car park of Ridgeons, Newmarket. A lot of people that I know visit Ridgeons just for Sam’s food. I also have driven in, ordered my food and shimmied out without even buying  a one inch brush.  Sam also runs the successful Queens Events company. I discovered that he has a penchant for puds when he mentioned that there’s a dearth of them on this blog.  So here is his generous contribution to that slim section of our site. This is a real treat and probably a waist expanding recipe if you slump in front of the TV after Sunday lunch. As Sam says:
“As you can see, this is not one for anyone on a diet!  This is full fat.”

But a  rich pud just once a week is a treat to enjoy and dream about.

Sam Raithatha’s special lemon cheesecake recipe

(Bake for 1hour @ 170c/150c-fan)

Ingredients:

• 7 x Digestive biscuits
• 5 x Ginger Nut biscuits
• good handful of roasted hazelnuts
• 50-70g of Real Butter
• 4-6 Unwaxed lemons
• 675g of Mascarpone (Sainsburys do the best one I have found £2.00 for 500 grams)
• 140g -170g caster sugar to taste
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste
  ( from Waitrose, the Most amazing Find EVER!  £ 4.99 for a small jar, and its so rich that you only need a small amount )
• 3 x large Free Range eggs
• 120 ml (1/4 pint) of Thick cream

Praline topping:

• 6-8 large table spoons of granulated sugar
• 2 large handfuls of chopped almonds

Method:

The cheesecake:

1. In a saucepan, melt butter, and add the roughly bashed the biscuits (Free Anger Management)  and  mix on low heat.
2. Once mixed, press into a 10′ baking tin and bake 170c/150c-fan for 5-8 mins or until firm.
3. Now, mix the Mascarpone and cream together until rich and velvety, squeeze the lemons and add 4 first, add more if you want more of a lemon flavour.
4. Add eggs (one at a time as will need time to mix in properly)
5. pop in oven 170c/150c fan for one hour, pour a glass of wine and chilax.

The praline topping:

1. Put 6-8 large table spoons of granulated sugar in a saucepan, on a gentle heat (DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF IT) once golden brown add a couple of good handfuls of chopped almonds, mix and put back on heat.
2. If you have a silicon oven mat fine, if not just a greased baking tray.  Pour mixture on to it and put in oven, check after about 10 mins and when just about to set take out.
3. Using a knife cut long strips and be careful as it will be hot!  Find a rolling pin and wrap it around and mould it and gently slide off, hey presto!
4. Once cheesecake is cooked, allow to cool and put in the fridge as it is best served cold. Place the praline twizzles on top just before you serve the dish.

Sam says.
“I have found that if you make the cheesecake the day before it will taste much, much better. If you like lemons and limes, you can make a lime jelly which can be spooned over the cheese cake (it must still be in the round cake tin) and leave to set. Present to your guests and just sit back and accept the compliments.  A wry smile might also go down well, just think of Miss Marples, when she reveals all! Smug, but oh so gracious.”