Cold Weather Dinners

Perth has been having terrible stormy winter weather. Its cold, windy and gloomy. Such days conjure my tastebuds for warm soupy foods. Comfort food- and hot chicken soup has never been on my mind as much.

For days I'd been craving Chicken Pho. What could be nicer than hot soup, slurpy rice noodles dashed with fresh greens? Nom-nom. [My daughter's vocab for 'eat']

Some recipe searching later, I decided the broth was a version combined from two recipes- here and here. 

I couldn't be more satisfied. Chicken pho served with Sriracha and oyster sauce. Bring on the warmth.- It was my food saviour and the bonus was, perfect food for my budding 1 1/2 year old. She loves soupy hor fun.

I'm ready to fight this bleh weather.

Just Mousse Thanks

I'll be honest. I had intended to present a grand Chocolate Mousse Cake to H. Soft, rich cake with decadent moouse ..just heavenly.

It didn't turn out that way [at all!]. So I presented him chocolate mousse instead, Lindt Chocolate Mousse to be exact- it makes me feel that little bit better. Unlike the cake, it turned out great.

If you want to make a great Chocolate mousse here goes:

(recipe from Lindt)

200g Lindt Dessert 70% Cocoa Specialty Cooking Chocolate

200g Double Cream

5 eggs- separated

75g sugar

Pinch of Salt

(Serves 8)

1. Break up chocolate and gently melt over a water bath, set aside.

2. Mis egg yolks and one third of the sugar until pale.

3. In a separate bowl, whip cream until ribbon stage.

4. In a clean, dry bowl make a meringue with the egg whites, remaining sugar and salt.

5. Combine a small amount of melted chocolate with the egg yolks to warm them slightly and then add the rest of the chocolate to the yolks and mix.

6. Whisk cream into the chocolate mixture until smooth.

7. Gently fold in meringue.

8. Pour mousse into a clean bowl/serving bowls, cover with cling film and allow to set in the firdge for approximately 4 hours. Serve chilled.

Err..if you're ever wondering, this is what the supposed cake looked like. I'm calling it my first and last 'Death By Chocolate' cake. Looks like that, literally. Its going in the trash.

Here Bunny Bunny!

Happy Bunny Year! I..ok, I'm a tad late but better than never! Can't believe another year just passed like that!

Last year, I just moved into my new house and got uber excited about making all the nic-nacks. This year, my hours seem to be gobbled up by Jellybean and even squeezing the odd two hours for baking is a luxury.

I do miss my house heaps though..I wish I still have my kitchen to mess with and my courtyard to stare into. I would of most probably dolled up a nursery for Jellybean by now and maybe, just maybe, bought a tonne of nursery furniture and scared the heck out of H with a amazing credit card statement!

So this year I only got up to three things- once again, the Cheese-Pineapple Agar Agar I made last year, lychee jelly..

..and a house favourite, Kueh Momo which I made with this recipe. I'm thinking of adding milk powder to it next time just to give it a extra oomph!

Now...let's feast for tomorrow- the 15th and last day of Chinese New Year!

Rat Rice Noodles

Before you come down on me with some Greenpeace treaty - let me explain!

Where I come from, there's a round type of rice noodle that is literally called 'Rat Poop Noodle'. No, it doesn't involve harming animals of any kind- it's just named so because the original versions were ... well, shaped like rat poop. The 'rat poop' noodle is simply known lau su fen/lou shi fun in Chinese dialects.

H has a enormous attachment to these noodles. Its what he grew up with for breakfast nearly every week. When I asked him what he missed from our home town, he only told me he missed lau su fen. In a desperate attempt to make him feel more at home [and I believe my nesting instincts came hard too], I made the rice noodles from scratch.

Here's my take.

Lau Su Fen/ Lou Shi Fun

2 Cups Rice Flour
2 Tablespoon Tapioca Flour
Pinch of Salt
550ml boiling water

1. Steam rice flour for 1 hour.
2. Add tapioca flour, salt and boiling water and stir until smooth.
3. Allow to cool and knead until smooth ball forms.
4. Spread additional tapioca flour on hands/surface.
5. Take pea sized amount of dough and roll between fingers until its elongated in shape. Repeat with all of dough.
6. Lightly oil steamer tray and steam noodles for approximately 8 minutes or until noodles are cooked. [I steamed mine in batches]
7. Cook noodles immediately with condiments to liking or wait for noodles to cool and store in fridge.

I was inspired by a particular hawker style of cooking rice noodles from my home town- it's what H hearts. So hence, mine was just boiled and tossed with some basic ingredients. Other methods of cooking include stir frying or having it with dark sauce.

Tuna Melt Copy & Paste

Whenever I dine at Miss Maud's, I have a uncanny tendancy to only choose two things from their menu. One of which, is their tuna melt. I can't really explain. It's one of those things I just do.


Then today, I felt the compulsion to replicate it.

I even bought their cajun mayonnaise! 


I was pretty stoked that it came out the same- durh! But I should of added pickles and onions.


Easy lunch!

Teh-Tarik

I've been missing a bit of home- my other home. The one filled with hawkers delights and other carbohydrate drenched foods. So I've been trying to replicate it by making my own hawker style drinks.


Teh-Tarik- otherwise known as pulled-tea is well known throughout South-East Asia. It's basically white tea made with condensed milk that has been aired to create a smooth tea texture and bubble foam. A good teh-tarik will need good tea powder and the tea maker's 'pulling' skill.  'Pulling' simply means, the tea is interchanged from one cup in far distances to create air bubbles as shown in this video (posted by Rasa Malaysia)


I don't come close to the to the masters of tea pulling- I just pour as far as I can over a sink- so that the mess  is captured, then I wipe and wash quickly to pretend I can pull tea. Ahem.


Teh-Tarik


*3 Tablespoons Ceylon Tea Powder
1 1/2 cups Boiling Water
*1/2 Tablespoon Condensed Milk
**Dash of Evaporated Milk


*Ingredients vary according to taste. This one was made according to my liking to strong tea and as little sweetness as possible. For a normal hawker style teh-tarik, I'd say they'd use more condensed milk and slightly less tea powder.


** I used fresh milk in attempt to be healthier. However, evaporated milk is more fragrant.


1. Place tea powder into a tea stocking, over a large mug/stainless steel cup.
2. Pour boiled water into the stocking and seep for approximately five minutes.
3. Remove tea stocking and combine tea with condensed and evaporated milk.
4. Pour the mixture into another mug/stainless steel cup by gradually lengthening the distance. Do this for a couple of times until foam appears on top of tea. And if you're anything like me, do it over the kitchen sink!


Wont this be nice served with a buttery slab of kaya toast and soft boiled eggs?! Nom Nom!

Gyoza- Pot Stickers

I think there was a grocery mishap because my mum somehow stocked up on cabbages- far too many cabbages and I wanted to use them. So came along gyozas otherwise known as wo tiep and also known as pot stickers!


Cabbage & Chive Gyozas
makes approx. 76 gyozas


500grams Pork mince
500grams Cabbage 
100grams Chinese Chives
2 heaped teaspoons Ginger- finely chopped
4-5 tablespoons Sesame Oil
Salt
Pepper


Approximately 2 packets of store bought Gyoza Wrappers
Bowl of water to seal dumplings


1. Chop cabbage finely. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and strain away excess liquid for approximately 10 minutes.

2. In a bowl mix together mince, chopped chives, ginger, sesame oil, salt (I used 1 teaspoon) and pepper (approx 1/2 teaspoon). Add drained cabbage and mix thoroughly.

3. Place approximately 1/2 tablespoon of mixture onto wrapper.

4. Dip finger into bowl of water and go around the edges of the wrapper. Bring both sides together and pleat-pinch until sealed. 

5. 


To cook: Heat oil in pan and place dumplings onto the pan. Leave on high heat for approximately 1 minute. Then turn on to medium heat and pour water to 1/3 the height of dumplings- simmer with lid covered for 7 minutes (longer time needed for frozen gyozas) or until cooked. Take the lid off, if there's excess liquid pour it away and turn back on high heat and drizzle a little sesame oil on top- then serve.

-The reason for its name!


To store: Wrap and place in freezer. 

To be quiet honest, the dumpling skin was a bit thin for my liking but I'm sure you just have to experiment with the texture by testing different brands- I'm not the type to make my own dumpling skin- it's too time consuming.

Faux Jesters

Just the other day I willingly paid precisely $11.70 for a pie. Why? Because I felt like I needed to contribute to the economy and encourage foreign goods being imported to this tiny place. Yes, I was doing something major- well, that and the fact that I succumbed to the temptation of Australian pies. Don't ask.


But yesterday I didn't feel that I needed to support that import industry anymore. I also felt like I was ripped off (about time) and so I decided to make my own. 


Here's my equation:

-About a year ago my sister bought me a pie maker. Kinda like this one, but housing two pies at once rather than four. Obviously it never got out of the box, was stored in my pantry and only made its debut yesterday.


-A few months ago I bought puff pastry and it's been in my freezer ever since.


-I had middle bacon. Also in the fridge for a substantial amount of time.


-I had eggs..well, I always have eggs. I mean chicken eggs.


-I was reminiscing Jesters Pies.


So, I put everything together and tadaa!!... my version of Jester's Morning Glory. Mind you, it tasted exactly like it..just that I omitted the cheese. 

If you want a fast and easy faux Jesters Pie, all you need is (to make 2 pies):


Ready made puff pastry (I used Pampas), cut into 2x large, 2x small circle pie templates.
2 pieces of middle bacon, fried and cut into small pieces.
2 eggs


1. Heat up the pie maker as per instructions.
2. Place large circle puff pastry into the bottom mould.
3. Place bacon in each pie dish.
4. Pour one egg over each pie.
5. Place small circle puff pastry over the top.
6. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until pastry is cooked.


Voila. I felt like a genius. 

Blog Doom

Is it me or has the infamous blog ran out of fashion? It no longer has the pizazz and every other person now has twitter. And to be completely honest with you, I don't know if I've got much to share anymore- all I blog about now is food as if my world revolved around it. Well..it kind of does, but I'm not suppose to let you know that. 


So I twiddled my thumb to come up with a fantastic post! I mean, something that shows I'm not in blog boredom. But after like...2 days, all I could possibly think about sharing was this

It's beef marrow ya'all!! Okok..still food none-the-less- but atleast I now know the secret to making beef stews. Seriously, you'll never go back! I mean NEVER! It's something that just strikes you as 'Why didn't I do this before?' It would of made my Vietnamese Beef Pho much better too! Be gone other bones!!

So I made Taiwanese beef noodle soup..which was super super flavourful..and I'll never-ever look back. 


I love you beef marrow. My dogs now love me too...their bone was mighty huge!

Herbal Tonics Made Easy

His beard was as white as snow. His fragile fingers delicately sorted out the array of herbs while I became fixated my fascination on wall-to-wall dark timber drawers. Each drawer was filled with some anecdote of which the man slowly bundled and weighed. He then hands me my package bundled in brown paper and carefully ties it with a white string.

I get home and sit myself infront of hot stove- placing all my ingredients into the the charred-brown pot. I continually fan the steaming brew- at times falling asleep and waking up with beads of sweat across my forehead. After slaving for eight hours, the herbal tonic being reduced to half, I gently pour the ingredients into a ceramic bowl, careful I don't waste a drop..

...

..totally fictional!!! But its so much like a scene in a ancient Chinese movie no?!.. I just couldn't bring myself to lie to you though I wanted you to think I slaved over a little pot. But truth is..

I bought this little packet of stuff...and all I did was put it together and tapped the 'on' button. 


Easy as 1-2-3. I par-boiled my pork and chicken bones, quickly rinsed the Chinese herbs, chucked it all into my beloved slow-cooker with adequate water, turned it on and went to work. Eight hours later, I have a herbal tonic!


Ahh..I love my life! 


But the real reason why I wanted to share this with you..is because if I want the exact same tonic in the near future- I can just go to the herbalist down the road and tell him exactly what I need without looking for this particular pack of stuff in the shops or gather these ingredients myself. Maybe I'd feel better that way- that I do get my herbs from timber drawers instead of hung up on commercialized shelves.-Self-deceiving! Makes me believe I'm a better wife. Not.


The ingredients for Bei Qi Dang Shen Tang are [please don't let the names scare you..]:


3.5g Bei Qi (Astragalus Menbranaceus)
3.5g Dang Shen (Condonopsis Pilosula)-otherwise known as Poor Man's Ginseng
23g  Huai Shan (Dioscorea Opposita)
15g Dried Longan- Finally! A name I can comprehend!
15g Boxthorn Fruit (Dried Wolfberries)
30g Dates


1 skinless chicken breast with bones
3 pieces pork bones
Water to cover over everything


*Ps: Please skim off the fat above the soup before drinking..obviously I was too lazy to do it for these photos.


And just incase you're wondering, the soup is sweet tasting and not bitter at all. More like a consume with herbal flavours. 

Flourless Nutella Cake

I was inspired by my Le Creuset Ramekins. Lame I know. Who get's inspired by cookware? But I just had some sort of impulse to use them- I was feeling sorry for it- they've been sitting pretty- in their un-opened boxes for several months and I needed to justify my buy.


Then came my other sudden thoughts that came as abruptly as my Le Creuset thought.


Nutella. 


Flourless.


Fast.


I came across some hand written Fallen Chocolate Cake recipe I later realised was from the net and modified it. I normally wouldn't modify recipes before trying the original version first but:-


a) I was out of chocolate 
b) I really wanted to use the Nutella. The tub that's sat in my pantry for yonks and nearly overdue.


So here goes...

Flourless Nutella Cake


200g Nutella
2 Heaped Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
250g Unsalted Butter
6 eggs, Separated
1 Cup White Sugar


1) Melt butter in a heatproof bowl (either by putting it over a saucepan or in the microwave). Preheat oven to 180C.
2) Stir in cocoa powder and mix until even. 
3) Beat eggs whites in a separate bowl.
4) In another bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and then add Nutella and chocolate mixture.
5) Gently Fold eggwhites into the chocolate mixture.
6) Pour mixture into 1/2 of each ramekin. (I got 6 ramekins) and bake for 15-20 mins, making sure it rises and falls before taking it out of the oven.


*Optional: Dust with additional cocoa powder.


Serve warm/room temperature. Eat lots. Get fat.

It was so quick and chocolate was definitely permeating the air! I've stored my remaining 4 in the freezer..I think it'll be nice heated up and served with some vanilla ice cream. Maybe I'll add some ground hazelnuts next time.


Note: It's addictive!

Coffee Agar-Agar

Some friends came over for afternoon tea the other day and I just wanted to make something simple. Ok, that ..and I wasn't in my baking aura, nor was I willing to part with my newly cleaned oven. 


So enter...agar-gar. I think agar-agar is such a easy Asian dessert thats also really versatile. Those not very familiar with this- its basically a jelly-gelatine type texture. Just harder. It's tasteless, so just about anything goes.


I would give you the exact recipe, except...errr...I don't really measure. I just throw things in by taste. But if you'd like a go anyway..here's what I used:


2 Sachets instant coffee powder (Super brand), approximately 350-400ml coconut milk, handful agar-agar, a few cups of water, sugar to taste. 


Throw everything in a pot and cook for 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool.


Easy huh? And when it cools, it naturally forms the clear layer and milky layer where the coconut milk has separated from the liquid. 


Have fun.

Pho & Goi Cuon

Come again?!?..ok, I admit it's something I just googled 'cos I wanted a cool heading. But it isn't working is it?


Vietnamese Beef noodles & Summer spring rolls.


If you come around to my place for dinner, you'd know I don't stick to a particular type of cuisine. I vary from craving to craving- which means it could be Indian one night and Italian the next. I'm also lucky my husband isn't one of those Asian men that need to have rice for dinner [not that there's anything wrong with them, just that my wife duties will be so dull if I had to stick to Chinese food and rice everyday- my problem completely].

So after viewing a few recipes, I thought this one was my favourite beef noodle recipe. I made it easy by throwing everything into a slow cooker and enjoying the divine smell lingering in my house the whole day. Its a pity that the beef here isn't up to par, because that would of made a huge difference.

What I love about Vietnamese food is how casually vegetables are thrown together- and it works. The colours, texture and tastes light up my eyes and taste buds. Its light. Refreshing..and that's what I love about Vietnamese spring rolls.

Care for a bite?


I just might try the Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup next. Wanna come?

Tumeric Raisin Rice

Don't blame me. I had a huge craving for carbohydrates and totally, completely, utterly gave in. Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. Just when everyone is worried about global warming and volcanoes erupting I'm worried about carbs. Ah huh! 


And you know what? I've been on a spice spree. Ever since my curry encounter, I love spices in everything. I mean everything! I don't know about you..but I spent my weekend stealing my mum's food processor grinding  spices, onions, garlic, lemongrass and storing them in cute tupperwares. Awesome right?! Not. I just became obsessive. Obsessive compulsive.


Anyways..lets get back to some super easy rice cooker stuff:-


Rice Cooker Tumeric Rice


2 teaspoons tumeric powder
1 stick Cinnamon
Handful of Raisins
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon Butter


Throw everything into the rice cooker and tap your fingers anxiously. 


I served mine with microwave dried anchovies and curried eggplants. 


Ps. See my scrawly handwriting besides? I got that recipe somewhere online, and u'd note I omitted saffron and sugar, and lessened the butter. 

Going Japanese

This has got me going consecutively for the last two days- I've eaten three meals with the exact salad because I'm in love with a Japanese inspired salad dressing. Go figure- I get obsessive sometimes.


The beauty is, you can make the dressing and keep it up to a week in a fridge AND has no oil! Perfect.

Japanese Dressing
1/2 Cup Rice Vinegar (They normally use Mirin, but I couldn't get my hands on it so I just use Chinese Rice Vinegar)
2 Tbsp Raw Sugar (Any sugar will do..I was just trying to be healthy)
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Shoyu (Soya Sauce)
1 Shallot


Bring all ingredients to a boil. [Easy Huh?] Cool before using.


Serve with any vegetables of your choice. I used:
Salad Vegetables: Tomato, Parsley
Topping: Sesame Seed, Bonito Flakes, Seaweed. 

Dinner-In-A-Box Recipe

This post is for you Paul....

If this attracted you last time, then its here I present to you Fettucine Carbonara aka H's Spaghetti Carbonara. Which essentially- can be done by any first time cook.

I originally wrote everything here..

But I dont's think its quite a recipe when I've put everything together and didn't write down any measurements. They're specific though...so much so I think only H would understand it totally- I totally refined it down to my pots and pans!

So here's a refined version:

H's Spaghetti Carbonara (serves 2)

Grab approx 2.5cm diameter of fettucine/spaghetti (or any pasta)

1 medium sized onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of Rosemary/Italian Herbs
2 pieces Bacon, cut into squares
6 White Mushrooms, trimmed at the end and sliced
200ml cream
6 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
1 Teaspoon Salt to taste
1 egg

1. Boil approx 2 liters water in a pot.
2. Place all pasta in boiling water and add a pinch of salt.
3. Cook pasta for 15-20 minutes or until al dente.

4. In a medium sized pan, gently saute the onions, rosemary/italian herbs, garlic and bacon until fragrant.
5. Add mushrooms. Reduce heat and add in parmesan cheese, salt and cream, mixing until even.
6. Turn off heat. Add one egg and stir quickly. The heat from the sauce will cook the egg.
7. Taste and add additional salt/parmesan cheese if needed. If sauce is too dry, add in some milk.
8. Stir sauce into pasta before serving, top with parmesan cheese if preferred.

Once again, bon apetite.

White Chocolate Raisin Cookies II (The Christmas Version)

How was your Christmas? Mine was spent indulging on my nephew's toes. No, not really. I'm just best buds with him right now.

Anyhows, everyone on blogger-sphere is doing some sort of Christmas cookie and I wanted to join in the fun too.

A while ago when I did a white chocolate raisin cookie recipe- it was crunchy, but somehow lacked in the looks department. I like cookies in any manner- as long as they're freshly baked. Psychologically they taste better, I like tasting them while they're still warm and soft from the oven and harder when they cool. And, the house smells divine.


This time I wanted a soft-melt in your mouth sort of recipe, trying the slice and bake method.

White Chocolate Raisin Cookies II (Christmas Version)
adapted from Women's Weekly Cupcakes Cheesecakes Cookies


250g Butter softened
1/2 cup Icing Sugar
2 cups(300g) Cake Flour (you may use plain flour, just that I didn't have any on hand)
1/2 cup (75g) Rice Flour**
1/3 cup (50g) Cornflour
2 tablespoons Milk
1/3 cup (50g) Raisins
200g White Chocolate Couverture chopped
100s & 1000s for decoration


1. Beat butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Sift the 3 flours. Add raisins and white chocolate. Stir into butter mixture in two batches.
3. Add milk.
4. Knead until smooth. Divide mixture in half and roll into 25cm logs. Wrap each log with baking paper, sprinkle with 100s & 1000s, roll the log and refrigerate until firm (approximately 1 hour).
5.Preheat oven to 150C fan forced and line baking trays with baking paper.
6. Cut logs into 1cm slices and bake for 20 minutes.

*Note: I'd omit the icing sugar if I had the 100s & 100s sprinkles next time.- I thought it was a tad too sweet.

**I ran out of rice flour and used glutinous rice flour instead. Worked out fine.This is great for storing in the fridge and baking when you need it.

I think I found the perfect recipe for Chinese New Year.

White Chocolate Raisin Cookies

Hi blog, I know I've abandoned you lately- no excuses, no reasons- I just went missing because I had a bad case of lazy bones. I know you'd understand. But to be extra nice I baked you cookies. Well, I get to eat them but hey I'm sharing. Sharing is caring.

So..err..anyhows..

I love the smell of freshly baked cookies. I love how the sweetness lingers in the air. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy before I grunt out 'COO-KIEEEEEE!' much like the blue furry monster found on Sesame Street.

White Chocolate Raisin Cookies

50g Raisins
200g White Cooking Chocolate, chopped into pieces (or you can use chocolate chips)
40g Icing Sugar
110g Softened Butter
130g Plain Flour
1 egg yolk
Sprinkle of Bicarbonate Soda

1. Preheat oven to 180 Celcius.
2. Cream butter and icing sugar until fluffy.
3. Slowly add plain flour and bicarbonate soda, mixing until even. Then add egg yolk.
4. Stir raisins and chocolate into the mixture ad refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Shape into small balls and place on tray. Flatten each cookie with a fork.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Cool off cookies before storing into air tight containers or if you're like me- you'll gobble them while they're still soft and shout 'COO-KIEEEE!!!'

You had me at Chocolate

This is a keeper. I don't know about you, but theres days where I'm just thinking about rich, moist, soft delectable chocolate cakes- maybe because I wasn't contented with my hard rock ones, but boy am I glad I finally found this recipe.

Ladies, this is one for PMS. Really. Yeah. Its that day when u need something sweet, something oozing with flavour and can gobble down within seconds.

Don't compare this to sponges- its just as simple as a rich and soft chocolate cake. Imagine it served with cream, ice cream even..or a hot coffee.

I just had two slices...but I know you wouldn't hold that against me.

French Chocolate Cake

adapted from here.

1/4 cup brown sugar
300g dark chocolate couverture, chopped
125g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1/4 cup plain flour
pinch of baking soda
1 Tsp instant coffee

To dust: Brown Sugar, Cocoa, Butter

1. Brush 20cm cake pan with softened butter and dust with sugar.
2. Preheat oven to 160 Celcius.
3. Melt sugar, chocolate, butter and instant coffee over double boiler. Making sure its smooth.
4. Take off heat, add vanilla essence.
5. Beat in egg yolks one at a time until even.
6. Add in plain flour and baking soda.
7. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and fluffy.
8. Carefully mix egg whites with chocolate mixture and place in tin.
9. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
10. Dust with cocoa powder.

Chilled Lemon Cheesecake

So my Lemon Cheesecake doesn't look very lemony. But I was really trying to spruce it up for H's birthday. Everytime I ask H what cake would he like, I just about get the same old 'Chilled Lemon Cheesecake' answer. Makes it easy for me though, this is a no bake cake! Super easy and just needs a few hours in the fridge.

So I planned H's cake way before, and knew I wanted to garnish it with chocolate, strawberries and lychees. I thought the salty cheese, sourish notes from strawberries and lemons combined with tropical lashings of lychees dolloped with sweet-bitter chocolate would combine really well- that, or a potential stomach disaster. But I chose to believe in the first option- and went for it. 

Chilled Lemon Cheesecake [minus the garnishings]

Base

110g Digestive Biscuits

50g Butter

1. Crush biscuits in a zip lock bag or food processort until fine.

2. Melt butter in microwave/ in a pan.

3. Combine melted butter and biscuits together and compress in a 8" cheesecake tin. Refrigerate for atleast 15 mins.

Lemon Filling

350g (1 1/2 blocks) Softened Creamed Cheese (Preferably Philadelphia brand as it holds better.)

75g Castor Sugar

Zest of 1 Lemon (Try getting lemons from Australia/USA -Western Countries, as Asian lemons tend to have a really bitter taste to them)

Juice of 1 large Lemon

250g Cream (Preferably Anchor brand)

1 tsp Gelatin Powder

2 Tsp Hot Water

1. Beat cream cheese, castor sugar, zest of lemon and lemon juice together until soft and creamy.

2. Mix gelatin powder and hot water together until fully dissolved. Add into cream cheese mixture.

3. In a separate bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold into cheese mixture until even.

4. Place filling onto base and let it set for atleast 2-3 hours. Preferably overnight.