This week I want to talk about a very special fruit which is only available for a very short time. Its an orange but not a normal orange, this is a blood orange.
I noticed them in our local supermarket this week for $6 per kg and most of us really don’t know how special and just how hard they are to grow.
Blood orange, red staining caused by red pigments in the flesh and skin. Some people say the taste is like crossing a raspberry with orange, however I find them very tart and way too beautiful to eat.
Quite often we well simply slice them and serve with charred scallops or squid but today we are making one of my most favourite desserts.
Cheesecake
- 225g butter
- 280g wholemeal flour
- 200g brown sugar
- 100g dates
- 250g cream cheese
- 200ml almond milk
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 x 8g sachet gelatine
- 3 blood oranges
- 2 tbsp honey
Preheat oven to 180*C. In a food processor, blitz butter, flour and sugar until crumbly. Add dates and blitz again until just combined. Spread mix out in a large baking dish. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stir and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a flat baking tray to cool.
Pour almond milk into a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle over the gelatine and slowly bring to a boil. Remove from heat. In a food processor, blitz cream cheese. Add lemon juice, then slowly add warm almond milk while still blending.
Place a layer of crumble in the base of 4 large glasses or jars (reserving some crumble for the top of each). Pour over cheesecake filling and refrigerate until set.
Prepare the blood oranges by first peeling with a sharp knife, removing all pith with the skin. Cut into segments. Now make the ‘blood syrup’ by squeezing the skin and pith into a saucepan to remove all juice and honey. Bring to the boil, remove from heat and strain.
To serve, top cheesecakes with extra crumble, blood orange segments and syrup.