White Chocolate CheesecakesPrint Recipe

It’s Valentines Day tomorrow and we have a special tradition in our fairly new family and that is to celebrate the day as a family. To cut a long story short – my husband and I also have another anniversary in early March, so rather than having two almost back-to-back celebrations we only celebrate the latter date as a couple. And I must say celebrating Valentines day as a family is fun, the girls get very excited.

So this year for the dessert I thought I would make mini White Chocolate Cheesecakes knowing that I should indulge Mr Man with some sort of chocolate creation. Just to fill you in – his soul is made of chocolate, he lives and breathes it – like we breath the air. Now I am fully aware that white chocolate is not officially chocolate but in his mind it is so that is all that matters.

These particular cheesecakes are baked with the subtlest hint of white chocolate, orange and vanilla. They have a tumble of berries through the centre that tone down the sweet of the cheesecake in that slightly tart ‘raspberry’ way. All in all – a gorgeous dessert for this special occasion.

Whatever you are planning to do on this lovey dovey day – I hope you enjoy it. One of my most memorable Valentines was spent sitting on a wharf drinking champagne from a bottle and eating chicken sandwiches .We didn’t have a huge budget and forgot our champagne glasses but it was an evening that was more romantic than alot of my fine dining occasions. It doesn’t take much and in the words of John Lennon – all you need is love. xx

160 grams/5.6 ounces good quality white chocolate
650 grams/1.4 pounds cream cheese
250 grams/8.8 ounces caster (superfine) sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
200 grams/7 ounces raspberries and a few extra for decorating
icing sugar/confectioners sugar for dusting

Preheat your oven to 160c/320f. Lightly grease 6 small oven proof dishes (approx 10cm/4 inches in diametre) with a non stick spray.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Combine the cream cheese and caster sugar in a mixer, slowly add the white chocolate, eggs, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla seeds. Beat slowly until well combined.

Pour half the chocolate mixture evenly in the bottoms of the 6 small dishes or the one larger dish. Cover with the raspberries and pour over the remaining mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until just set.

Allow to cool – the cakes will become more stable and easier to remove from the dishes once completely cooled. Dust with icing sugar and serve at room temperature scattered with more raspberries.

Notes: This can be made in one large dish – a 5cm (2 inches) deep rectangular baking dish, 28 x 21cm (11 x 8.25 inches), greased and lined with greaseproof paper – bake for 1 hour.

Source: Adapted from Grossi Florentino, Secrets & Recipes by Guy Grossi

© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.