Cambridge Edition March 2019

FOOD & DR INK

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST Fre n ch 75 Cheeseca k e

The French 75 – a mix of gin, lemon juice, sugar and champagne – earned its moniker for its ability to do almost as much damage as the notoriously powerful 75mm field gun. Having been on the end of a barrage of French 75s, I can attest to this! Here, I’ve used the same flavours to create a delicious twist on a classic lemon cheesecake. ALEX RUSHMER ADDS A DELICIOUS, BOOZY TWIST TO A LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH CHAMPAGNE CARAMEL SAUCE

SERVES 6-8 INGREDIENTS l 

320g digestive biscuits 160g unsalted butter 50g demerara sugar 400g cream cheese

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75g icing sugar

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l  Zest and juice of two lemons l  Pinch salt l  40ml dry gin l  200ml double cream l  200g caster sugar l  75g unsalted butter l  150ml champagne or other dry sparkling wine Line a 24cm spring form tin with two layers of cling film. Dice the butter and add to a small saucepan with the demerara sugar, then melt over a low heat. l  Break up the digestive biscuits and blitz to a coarse powder in a food processor. Once the butter has melted, gently pour into the food processor and combine with the biscuit crumbs. Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of the tin and press down firmly with your fingers. Leave to set in the fridge. l  Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the icing sugar, lemon zest and juice, salt and gin, and mix well. Add the cream and continue to mix until the mixture begins to thicken. Test for a balance of acidity and sweetness. If it needs more acidity, add lemon; more sweetness, add sugar. Take care not to over-mix or the cream will begin to split. l  Spoon the filling onto the base and set in the fridge. l  For the champagne caramel, add the sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add the champagne to another pan and bring to the boil. Reduce until you have about 100ml of liquid. Cook the sugar until it melts and begins to caramelise – if you have a thermometer, you’re looking for a temperature of 160-170°C. l  Once it reaches a dark caramel, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Once fully combined, slowly pour in the champagne – be careful as it will bubble up. Whisk to combine, then allow to cool. l  Drizzle the caramel over the cheesecake and serve. STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE l 

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