Cakes & Bakes
Blackcurrant & White Chocolate Cupcake Style Cheesecakes
In the world blog challenges I’m a little bit slow to the party this month. There are a lot of blackcurrant and chocolate creations floating around blogland at the moment, and although I had the idea for my dinky cheesecakes as soon as the challenge was set, it has taken me up until now to actually make and blog about them.
I’ve not eaten a fresh blackcurrant for as long as I can remember, which is silly because I love them. I think one of the reasons why I have not put them on my shopping list is because they are not the sort of fruit that my children can just pick up and eat, and actually I feel the same about them too. Also, they can be a bit tart if not quite ripe enough or if they are out of season and if I buy them I feel committed to ‘doing something’ with them in order to use them and that is not always possible.
I have decided though that what I really need to do is grow my own blackcurrant bush. Then I have all year to think about what I am going to do with them all. I know one of the first things I might try is this lovely blackcurrent ice cream recipe over on Fabulicious Food that I have seen as part of the WSC challenge. I would probably have a go at making my own cordial too.
But getting back to my cheesecakes. You may remember that I made some little ones before when I took part in the Baking Mad Bake Off with Eric Lanlard. Well I made so many cheesecakes in practice for the show that I went off them for quite a while, and these are the first ones I have made since. I’m keeping with the small theme though as I really like little cheesecakes. I think that they are a lot easier and quicker to make and having your own little portion is quite indulgent and a bit special.
I wish I could take all the credit for the idea of baking cheesecakes in muffin cases, but sadly I can’t. I first saw this on Cakeboule’s blog when she made Jammie Dodger mini cheesecakes and I also saw little strawberry cheesecakes in this months Good Food Magazine. What I can take credit for though is disguising these cheesecakes to look like cupcakes, just for a bit of added fun. I made them for a BBQ that we hosted last weekend. They went down very well and I was able to bake them the day before and just top them with the cream and decorations before serving.
- 35g butter (melted)
- 6 white chocolate cookies (digestives will be fine if you can’t get the cookies)
- 250g ricotta
- 50g icing sugar
- 1 egg and 1 yolk
- 150 creme fraiche
- 125g fresh blackcurrants (save a few to decorate with)
- 2 tbsp cassis
- 1 tbsp honey
- 80g white chocolate chips
- 200ml double cream
- Edible flowers (optional)
- 6 muffin cases
- Put the blackcurrants, cassis and honey into a saucepan and heat slowly until all the currants have burst and a coulis is formed
- Drain the blackcurrant coulis through a fine sieve so that any stalks and skins are separated from the liquid. Put the smooth coulis to one side and dispose of what is left in the sieve
- Heat oven to 150c/130f/gas 3
- Whizz the cookies into breadcrumb texture in a food processor and mix in the melted butter
- Line a muffin tin with 6 muffin cases and fill the bottom of each one with the cookie and butter mixture, pressing down with the back of a spoon to ensure that the cheesecake bases are tightly packed. Place in the fridge to chill
- In a mixing bowl add the ricotta, icing sugar, eggs, blackcurrant coulis and creme fraiche. Mix until combined, then fold in the white chocolate chips
- Spoon mixture into cases and fill right up to the top. Bake for 30 mins then turn off the oven and leave cheesecakes in until oven has completely cooled
- Place in fridge until needed
- Whisk double cream until fairy stiff. Need to keep an eye on it though as it can very quickly become over whipped
- Place in a icing bag with a star shaped tip (I used Wilton 1M) and just before serving pipe cream like cupcake icing on top of the cheesecake
- Add a few blackcurrants on top and an edible flower to finish off
I’m also going to enter this into the Alphabakes challenge hosted by Caroline Makes and The More Than Occasional Baker. The letter this month is ‘w’ so my white chocolate fits in nicely.
Tagged alpha bakes, Blackcurrant, cheesecakes, cupcake style cheesecakes, edible flowers, mini, we should cocoa, white chocolate
Working london mummyJuly 24, 2012 at 7:18 am
How pretty I do love the flowers as well. V nice !
FleurJuly 26, 2012 at 3:52 pmAuthor
Thank you. I’m loving the flowers too.
KathrynJuly 24, 2012 at 8:49 am
What a lovely idea and I love the pairing of white chocolate and blackcurrant.
Laura loves cakesJuly 24, 2012 at 7:50 pm
How delicious…all these ‘We Should Cocoa’ recipes are making me really hungry…the blackcurrant and chocolate combination is great!! These are so cute and I love the little flowers on top too!
FleurJuly 26, 2012 at 3:50 pmAuthor
O love the flowers too. I’m growing my own now so they are going on everything. Such a quick but effective way to make things look a bit prettier
bakingaddictJuly 24, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Wow these look so cute and delicious! Love the way you’ve decorated them. Thanks for entering them to AlphaBakes!
FleurJuly 26, 2012 at 3:47 pmAuthor
Love Alphabakes
ClearlyCakeJuly 26, 2012 at 11:55 am
Sounds like a perfect summer dessert – love the idea of pairing blackcurrants with white chocolate…says she, tucking into a bowl of redcurrants
FleurJuly 26, 2012 at 3:49 pmAuthor
Thank you. I never would have put blackcurrants and white chocolate together but it really is scrummy!
CarolineJuly 26, 2012 at 1:14 pm
These look delicious, and I love the little flower decorations! Thanks for entering them in Alphabakes
LivJuly 28, 2012 at 9:28 am
Stunning Bake x
ChocletteJuly 29, 2012 at 1:54 pm
These look wonderful Fleur. I do love your creativity and the way you’ve decorated them is just so appealing. Did you let on to your guests what these were before they ate them? Wish I’d been there they sound delicious. Thanks for playing along so well with WSC.
MariaJuly 30, 2012 at 7:46 pm
They look wonderful really! They must taste great! I love your photographs!
Mich - Piece of CakeJuly 31, 2012 at 8:35 am
Hi I am dropping by via AlphaBakes. These look so pretty! I am sure its totally delicious as well. Would love to have some.
FleurAugust 1, 2012 at 7:40 pmAuthor
Hi, thanks for your comment and for taking a look at my blog. I love AlphaBakes so I’m sure we will be ‘bumping’ into each other again. The flowers are so easy but very effective I think. x