The other day we were talking at work about food (as I seem to spend much of my life doing) and I, for reasons unbeknown to myself, offered to bring something in for us all to munch on last thursday afternoon.
Having had many chats about the bizarre combinations of Original Source’s products, lots of chat about cheesecake and more than is healthy about G&Ts it seemed I had to do something along these lines. As shower gel/shaving foam/deodorant doesn’t tend to make for the most delicious foods the choice was rather simple: a Gin and Tonic Cheesecake.
The only problem is that everywhere I searched was utterly devoid of recipes (including online cookery blogs and the know-it-all, Mr Google). When advice was proffered it was always the same: alcohol doesn’t work in cheesecakes, unless it’s a creamy or really thick liquor. Essentially, don’t do it!
I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like a challenge.
Having pondered the pridicament a little I turned – I’m not entirely sure why, apart from the obvious that I didn’t think – to renowned cheesecake loather, Mel. After the obvious ‘why are you asking me?’ remarks she suggested using mascarpone as “it can take more alcohol“. Clearly the most important factor here.
I decided last minute to alter the recipe a bit, to make it a gin and lime cheesecake, but with a bit of tonic in the base, so it popped a little when it crunched (no inuenndo intended). I was also – probably not particularly surprising for those who know me – fairly liberal with the gin. I didn’t really measure it, I just kept adding it into the mix until it tasted about right, so the recipe below can take more gin than it suggests. It matures a little more once the mixture has settled – you have been warned.
There was no way of telling how this was going to work out, but I think it was a win (gin win, some might say). It will definitely be going into my brown book of ‘recipes to make again’.
Gin and Lime Cheesecake:
(Serves 8, or 2 very greedy people; adapted from Gordon Ramsey’s F Word [or whatever show he's using it on now])
Ingredients:
The base: 8-10 Digestive biscuits; 6 tbsp caster sugar; 80g unsalted butter; about a shot of tonic (optional).
The cheesy, creamy bit: 400g mascarpone; 7 tbsp icing sugar; juice of 1 lime; zest of half to the whole lime (depending on taste/gin levels); 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 600 ml double cream; 25ml gin (or more depending on taste).
Method:
1. Put butter and sugar into a heavy based saucepan and heat gently. Crush the biscuits roughly using a food processor (or the end of a rolling pin) and add them in, removing the pan from the heat and stirring gently. Add the tonic in three lots, ensuring that the base doesn’t go mushy, it should be slightly crumbly.
2. Gently stir the mascarpone to loosen it and then add the lime juice and part of the jest. Pour the gin in slowly, ensuring that the mixture doesn’t get too runny.
3. Whip the cream into firm peaks, including the rest of the zest, before folding into the mascarpone mixture, ensuring the cream stays fairly solid.
4. Put into a dish and chill in the fridge. If you are feeling very adventurous you can line ramekins with clingfilm and put the mixture in upside down (ie. base at the top) so that you can tip them onto plates to serve.
5. Enjoy with friends.
Cr