Ruby Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake, Berries and Strawberry Curd - Chef Recipe by Matt Merrin

Ingredients

Ruby and Chocolate Cheesecake:

75g softened cream cheese
40g mascarpone cheese
225mL pouring cream, lightly whipped
75g ruby chocolate, melted
110g strawberry puree
Zest of one lemon
30g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 gelatin leaf, softened and squeezed

Chocolate Coconut Sand:

20g unsalted butter, softened
75g caster sugar
10g liquid glucose
20mL water
1g bicarb soda
5g cocoa
50g shredded coconut

Strawberry Curd:

4 large egg yolks
75g caster sugar
75mL strawberry puree
80g unsalted butter, diced

Quick Strawberry Ice Cream:

200mL strawberry puree
150g caster sugar
20mL lemon juice
200mL cream

To Assemble:

12 raspberries
12 blackberries
20g Pashmak vanilla fairy floss

Method

Ruby and Chocolate Cheesecake:

In an electric mixer on medium, whisk the cream cheese and mascarpone together. Add eggs and sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.

Heat 50mL of strawberry puree to 60 C, add gelatine and mix until smooth. Fold through cream mixture until combined.

In a stainless steel bowl, melt chocolate over a water bath. Remove from heat and fold through the cheesecake mix.

Pour cheesecake mix into individual silicon moulds.

Chocolate Coconut Sand:

Place sugar, butter, water and glucose into a heavy saucepan and cook over a moderate heat until the mixture becomes a light caramel colour. Carefully add salt, bicarb soda, coconut and cocoa and continue cooking until slightly darker caramel colour.

Remove from the heat and pour onto a silicone mat to cool. Smash the caramel into pieces and blitz in a blender until sand-like pieces form.

Strawberry Curd:

Using an electric blender, whisk egg yolk and sugar in a stainless bowl until smooth. Place bowl over a simmering water bath, add strawberry puree and slowly stir the mixture until curd thickens to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the butter and continue stirring until the curd is thickened. Remove from heat and cool. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate.

Quick Strawberry Ice Cream:

Combine puree, sugar and lemon juice. Stir in cream and place mixture into an ice cream machine to churn.

Freeze until ready to use.

To Assemble:

Unmould individual cheesecakes onto plates. Sprinkle chocolate sand around the outer perimeter of the cheesecake, add berries, ice cream and curd. Place the fairy floss on top.

Recipe provided by Bridgewater Restaurant + Botaniq Bar