Vanilla Bean Cheesecake - Chef Recipe by Alice James

Ingredients

500 g cream cheese
150mL cream
585 g caster sugar
1 vanilla bean
4 g gelatin
100 g macadamia
20 g glucose
8 rosella
300mL mandarin purée
250mL water
1 Tbs honey
1 tsp bicarb
Water

Method

Cheesecake:

Beat cream cheese and 50mL cream in a large mixer until combined.

Bring 100mL cream, 100 grams sugar and vanilla bean to the boil.

Remove from the heat and whisk in gelatin. Allow to cool.

Gradually pour the mix into the cream cheese and mix on low.

Pass through a sieve.

Set the cheesecake in lined moulds in the fridge for 3 hours.

Mandarin sorbet:

Heat 200mL of water with 200 grams caster sugar and 10 grams of glucose in a heavy bottom pot until the sugar is dissolved, then add the 300mL of mandarin purée.

Mix well, then strain and place in the freezer.

Candied macadamia:

Place 50 grams of caster sugar and 10 grams of glucose in a pot over light heat and mix through macadamias until they are completely covered.

Poor onto a lined tray and bake in the oven at 170 C for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool and then place in a blender to crush.

Rosella:

Heat 50mL of caster sugar with 100mL of water in a pot until sugar is dissolved.

Place whole rosella into the warm sugar syrup and set aside.

Honeycomb:

Place 185 grams sugar, honey and 20mL of water in a saucepan and simmer to caramel.

Remove from heat and whisk in bicarb soda.

Poor into a lined tray and let cool.

Break apart and store in the freezer.

To serve:

Place candied macadamia crumb on the bottom of the plate, then the cheesecake, then scoop the sorbet on top.

Finish with the rosella for garnish and crumbled honeycomb (remember to remove the seed).

Recipe provided by Bommie