If you long for a great cheesecake this summer as a treat, you’re in good company.
Cheesecake dates back to the ancient Greeks, who are said to have served the dish to athletes at the first Olympic Games. Garnished by the Romans as spoils of war, it reached Britain, included in the first known English cookbook, The Forme of Cury (c.1390) before circling the globe.
Cuba’s version of cheesecake, Flan de Queso, is very popular at Christmas time. Harley Amies, owner of The Cuban in Broadbeach, shares her recipe for Mojito Cheesecake served in the restaurant. Its rich cream cheese and condensed milk filling carries the island’s flavours of lime and Havana Club rum, making it a great celebratory dessert.
Mojito Cheesecake (Serves 4)
Cheesecake component – Ingredients:
1 tin condensed milk
1/2 tin evaporated milk
15 ml Havana Club 3 Rum
250 g cream cheese
1 lime, zest and juice
1 gelatine sheet
Method:
In a pot, add condensed milk, evaporated milk and Havana Club rum on a low heat and mix well.
In a bowl, put the zest and juice of one lime and add cream cheese.
Soften the gelatine sheet in cold water for 5-10 minutes and then squeeze out any excess water.
Once ingredients in the pot are simmering, add the contents of the bowl and gelatine sheet. Blend everything together until smooth.
Set in a plastic container and cool. Once cooled, refrigerate.
Gingernut Biscuit component – Ingredients:
250 g butter
250 g brown sugar
250 ml golden syrup
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tbsp boiling water
450 g plain flour
Method:
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line two baking trays with non-stick paper.
Combine butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, ginger and cinnamon on a low heat until all ingredients are combined.
Pour mixture into a bowl and let the mixture cool slightly.
Dissolve bicarbonate soda with hot water and add into butter mixture. Add plain flour and stir well until combined.
Use a spoon to form round discs on baking trays, making sure to space out and bake for approximately 10 minutes.
Once biscuits have cooled, place in a plastic bag and roll over with a rolling pin until fine crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs onto the plate in a diagonal line.
Take an ice cream scoop and quenelle three scoops of cheesecake mixture onto the crumbs. Garnish with sliced strawberries and mint leaves.
The Cuban, Oracle Boulevard, Broadbeach Ph: 07 5526 9769
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NOTE: This article was published in The Sun on 13 December 2017.