white chocolate & raspberry mini cheesecakes.

This week I decided I would pull something out of the archives, in anticipation for the summer fruits that are about to arrive! That has to be one of the best parts of summer (other than daylight savings and the warm weather)…strawberries, rockmelon, mangoes, grapes, apricots, cherries, and of course raspberries. And these fruits are such a big part of Christmas in Australia, that I can’t imagine celebrating it without them. Although, I’m sure I would be quite happy snuggling up in front of the fire with a large mug of hot chocolate, watching the lights twinkle on the tree. But, enough about Christmas! That will come soon enough I’m sure.

Ever since I can remember, I have always loved picking or collecting things from the garden. I think it began with collecting eggs from our chooks in the backyard, and picking strawberries from my Nan and Pop’s garden. Infact, Nan and Pop have a MASSIVE garden, and one year, pop gave me my own corner of it in which I could grow whatever I wanted. The snow peas and celery went really well, but unfortunately Tassie just isn’t warm enough for sweet potato and sweet corn…

For a couple of years, I had been interested in growing raspberries in our garden at home. So, last Spring, my Dad and I planted a few rows of canes hoping that we would get a little bit of fruit off them (well, that we me doing the hoping…Dad thought we wouldn’t get anything, being the first year). But you know what?! We got SO much fruit! Every couple of days, I went outside with a container and came back with it full of raspberries. Having so many fresh berries right infront of me, I decided it was cheesecake time! And of course, what goes oh so well with raspberries? Uh, chocolate of course!

White Chocolate and Raspberry Mini Cheesecakes
Recipe adapted from Delectable Indulgences by Nestlé Gold Medal

185g plain sweet biscuits, crushed
90g unsalted butter, melted
500g cream cheese, softened
400g of sweetened condensed milk
300ml cream
100g white chocolate
1 Tb gelatine
1/4 C water
250g raspberries ( I used fresh, but frozen ones would work too!)

1. Combine biscuits and butter. Divide the mixture evenly between silicone cupcakes moulds, pressing firmly to create the base. Refridgerate until firm.
2. Beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth, beat in cream.
3. Melt white chocolate, cool.
4. Sprinkle gelatine over water, dissolve over hot water, cool.
5. Beat chocolate and gelatine into cream cheese mixture.
6. Set aside approximately 30 raspberries, and then gently fold the rest through the cheesecake mixture.
7. Carefully spoon the cheesecake mixture into the silicone cupcake moulds, shaping them into a dome at the top. Refridgerate until set.
8. To serve, pop the cheesecakes from their moulds (or, you could leave them in too like I did…I just loved how the pastels looked with the bright red berries on top) and top with a couple of raspberries.

Recipe yields approximately 14-16 mini cheesecakes

Happy baking!

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