Everything peachy at Glenbernie Orchard
While kicking back over the January school holidays check out some of the ‘real’ things to do in our own Northern Illawarra backyard. 1. Book a fruit-picking experience. Line up a few mates and pick some white peaches early in January. 2...
While kicking back over the January school holidays check out some of the ‘real’ things to do in our own Northern Illawarra backyard.
1. Book a fruit-picking experience. Line up a few mates and pick some white peaches early in January.
2. 2021’s first apples will start late January (just in time for school lunch boxes, yippee!)
3. Use fresh fruit to dress a cider cocktail/mocktail.
4. Blitz your fresh-picked peaches with a sprig of fresh mint. Freeze in ice-cube trays and serve in your non-alc apple cider.
5. Serve a ‘cider spider’, great fun with the kids as a dessert. Mix 1/2 glass of Little Blue alcohol-free apple cider + 1 scoop vanilla ice-cream (dress it up for adults with a fresh strawberry and a sprinkle of cinnamon… tastes like apple pie in a glass!)
6. Cook up a storm with fresh fruit as a centrepiece or garnish.
DARKES RECIPE: Baked Peach Surprise Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust (double this if you like a thick crust)
200g gingersnap biscuits blended to a crumb
1/4 cup melted butter
Compote Filling
600g fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cheesecake Filling
11/4 cups sugar
4 x 250g cream cheese tubs, room temp
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze
300g sliced peach, 200g sugar
11/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 large peach, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced
Preparation for crust: Preheat oven to 180°C. Grind gingersnap biscuits in processor to coarse crumbs. Add butter, blend. Press crumbs over bottom and slightly up sides of 23cm springform pan. Bake crust until beginning to brown, about
8 min. Cool on rack. Reduce oven to 160°C.
Preparation for filling: Combine peaches,
2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice in saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and peaches are juicy, stirring occasionally, about
5 min. Uncover and cook until peaches are tender and juices thicken, about 5 min. Cool.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add 11/4 cups sugar, beat until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Spoon half of cheese mixture (about 3 cups) into crust. Spoon cold compote over by tablespoonfuls, spacing apart. Top with remaining cheese mixture. Bake at 160°C until set in centre, and beginning to brown, about 11/2 hours.
Place hot cheesecake on rack; cool for
5 min. Run knife around pan sides to loosen. Refrigerate overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
For glaze: Combine peaches, sugar and lemon juice in saucepan. Stir over medium heat until glaze comes to a simmer. Strain into small bowl. Cool slightly. Remove cheesecake from pan and place on platter. Spread glaze over the top. Chill cheesecake until glaze sets, at least 30 min and up to 8 hours. Arrange fresh peach slices in centre of cake and serve.
