Raspberry chocolate brownie cheesecake

1 x Berry Crocker Brownie mix (need 1 egg, oil and water) 

2 x 200g Philadelphia

3 x eggs

150g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence 

1 x bag frozen raspberries 

Put oven on at 180 degrees and grease and line a 20cm quick release tim.

Make the BC brownie mix as per packet instructions.

Use 3/4 of the mix to cover the bottom of the tin as a base.  Put in oven and cook for 15 mins.  Put the other 1/4 to one side for the moment.

Mix Philadelphia, eggs and caster sugar in a mixer with the vanilla essence until all combined (it will be runny)

Once tin out of oven pour cheesecake mix over base - then drop teaspoons of brownie mix into the cheesecake mix - one all brownie mix in then take a large handful of frozen raspberries and sprinkle over top pushing into mix so they go between the brownie mix.

Cook in oven for 40-45 mins then take out and cool for 2hrs before serving.

Lime and ginger cheesecake with a bitter chocolate top

For biscuit base

• 1 packet ginger biscuits
• 1 packet hob nobs
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

For cheesecake

• 900g cream cheese (full fat versions)
• 340g caster sugar (1.5 cups)
• 37g cornflour (1/4 cup)
• 3 limes (zested and squeezed)
• 1 knob ginger grated
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 120ml double cream

For chocolate top

• 100g dark chocolate (70% or above)
• 1 knob of ginger, grated
• 25g unsalted butter
• 120ml double cream

Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Put a tray or pan of water in the bottom of the oven.

Get a 9inch springform cake tin and grease bottom and all round sides.

Crush biscuits with a rolling pin or in a food processor and add butter. Pour into cake tin and smooth out and press down by patting to make a solid base.

In a mixing bowl mix cream cheese and sugar together beat for about 3 minutes until smooth, add cornflour and mix again till smooth. Add lime zest, lime juice, grated ginger, eggs and egg whites slowly and keep beating throughout until smooth. Add the cream and beat just enough until smooth and fluffy, do not overbeat at this point. Pour batter into springform pan and bake for 60-70 mins until golden on top.

Remove from oven and leave to cool (it will sink, do not panic!!)

Once cooled, if you want a nice tidy top, use a very sharp knife and cut of the raised edge to make the top flat.

Then make up the chocolate top. Heat the cream and butter gently in a pan (do not boil) and add the chocolate and ginger. Stir until combined. Then spread across top of cheesecake for form a good thick top layer (the butter stops the chocolate from setting solid so can still be cut).

Bannoffee Cheescake

I used to make Bannoffee pie a lot a few years ago, but it was very heavy as a dessert so I thought this would be a lighter variation

• 70g unsalted butter (melted)
• 3 tsp powdered gelatine or 6 sheets leaf gelatine
• 1/2 pkt hobnobs and 1/2 pkt ginger biscuits crushed
• 2 eggs, separated
• 75g caster sugar (used as 50g and 25g)
• 225g marscapone
• dash vanilla extract
• 500ml double cream, whipped (used as 300ml and 200ml)
• 2 bananas sliced
• 1 tin Carnation Caramel (on the shelf with the condensed milk, 397g)
• 1 pkt banana angel delight
• 100g plain chocolate (grated)

Well grease a 20cm springform pan with some of the melted butter. Line the base with greaseproof paper.

Dissolve the gelatine in 2 tablespoons of boiling water, or follow instructions for leaf gelatine and set aside.

Crush the biscuits in a food processor or in a bag with a rolling pin (much more fun!). Add the butter and mix until combined and then press the biscuit mix into the base of the springform tin to form the base. Keep pressing down until it is solid and then leave in a cool place.

Beat the eggs yolks, 50g caster sugar, mascarpone, caramel and the vanilla until pale. Whip 300ml of the double cream and then fold into the mixture with the gelatine.

Beat the egg whites and 25g of the caster sugar in a bowl until stiff (my mum's trick is to tip the bowl upside down over someone's head, the whites are ready when they do not move), then fold into the cheese mixture.

Slice up the bananas and spread over the base, pour the cheesecake mixture over the top and then refrigerate overnight.

Next day, whip up the remaining 200ml of the cream, make up the banana angel delight as directed and mix together. Spread over the top of the cheesecake. Leave in fridge for another couple of hours until serving.

Then remove cheesecake from tin onto serving platter and sprinkle over grated chocolate.