DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare a 6 inch spring form pan by lining the base with baking paper.
2. In a food blender, blend the biscuits until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.
3. Transfer the crumbs into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Press the crumbs onto the base of the pan, making sure it is as even as possible. Leave it in the fridge for at least 10min to set the base.
4. Place all the ingredients for the filling into a food processor and pulse a few times to get a smooth mixture.
5. In a small bowl, combine the gelatine and hot water and stir thoroughly until all the gelatine has dissolved.
6. Add the gelatine to the filling and blend to incorporate thoroughly.
7. Pour the filling through a sieve over the base. The sieve helps to remove any air bubbles.
8. Place the cheesecake into the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with parchment paper. For the crust, melt the butter in a medium pan. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and sugar so the mixture is evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling. Brush the sides of the springform tin with melted butter.
2. ***Alternatively, you may simply want to chill the crust to have a different crust texture from the New York baked version.
3. Beat the very chilled heavy cream until stiff.
4. For the filling, in a table top mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the soft cheese and lemon juice at medium-low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the sugar, then the cooled gelatin and, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle twice.
5. Fold in heavy cream and cut fruit into the cream cheese. Pour the filling into the tray and smooth the top before setting the tray into fridge to set (minimum 2 hours for full sized cake).

DIRECTIONS:

Cake Batter

1. Infuse milk and earl grey leaves overnight, set aside to room temperature before using.
2. Preheat oven to 160C.
3. Whisk egg yolks with sugar.
4. Add in oil and infused earl grey milk.
5. Sieve in cake flour and set aside.
6. Egg Whites: Whisk egg whites till foamy and gradually add in sugar.
7. Whisk till almost stiff peak forms.
8. Fold in meringue into the egg yolk mixture.
9. Pour batter into chiffon cups and give it a few slam on the table.
10. Bake in preheated oven for 20mins.
11. Immediately oven turn and cool cake when it’s done.

Filling

1. Whisk all ingredients together till stiff peak.
2. Pipe into cupcakes and chill 2 hours before serving.

DIRECTIONS:

         For the Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry

1. Butter a 24cm loose base tart tin and dust lightly with flour.

2. Place flour, cocoa powder and sugar in a food processor. Blend for 10 seconds. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs

3. With the motor running, add the egg yolk and just enough ice water until a dough forms.

4. Remove dough, flatten into a disc and wrap with cling film. Rest in the refrigerator for at least 20-30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 180ºC.

6. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper or plastic sheet until 2mm thick. Line the tart tin with the pastry, trimming off the edges.

7. Line with foil or greaseproof paper, fill with dried pulses or baking beads and blind bake for 20-30 minutes until lightly golden. Remove the filling and bake for a further 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

   For the Frangipane

8. Melt chocolate over a ban marie or microwave on high in 10 second bursts, stirring in between. Set aside and allow to cool.

9. In a medium size bowl, whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

10. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

11. Add vanilla extract and chocolate, whisk well.

12. Add almond meal and flour, mix well.

13. Fill the tart shells with the frangipane mixture, smoothing out surface.

14. Bake for 40 minutes or until cook through.

15. Top with pears and serve with vanilla cream.

    For the Poached Pears

16. Peel pears.

17. Place water, vinocotto (if using), sugar, verjuice or lemon juice, vanilla bean, lemon peel and cinnamon in a small-medium saucepan. Bring to the boil.

18. Add pears, ensuring all are submerged in the poaching liquid. Cover with a cartouche

19. Lower the heat and simmer until the pears are tender. Remove pears and allow to cool.

20. Reduce the poaching liquid further to a syrupy consistency and allow to cool.

21. Halve some pears, place them on top of the tart and drizzle over some of the reduced poaching liquid just before serving. For smaller individual tarts, the pears can be sliced from the top stem to the bottom on a diagonal. Then twist slightly downwards to create a fan design.

    Tips

22. Do not over process the dough or the pastry will be tough.

23. Handle the pastry as little as possible to keep it short and crisp.

24. Add as little water as possible to the dough to avoid too much shrinkage.

25. Buttering the tin and dusting it lightly with flour will help avoid the pastry sticking to the tin.

26. When melting the chocolate, ensure water does not fall into the chocolate or this will seize the chocolate.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Tray Preparation: 22cm chiffon tin. Oven Preparation: Preheat oven at 170ºC for 20mins.
2. For the Yolk Mixture, follow Steps 3 to 5.
3. Use a hand whisk to combine (Grp. 1) together.
4. Pour the liquid mixture (Grp.2) & mix well.
5. Add in sifted flour & coconut powder (Grp.3) & mix.
6. For the Egg White Mixture, follow Steps 7 to 11.
7. Whisk the egg-white lightly.
8. Add in the corn flour & sugar gently & whisk till stiff.
9. Fold the Yolk mixture into it.
10. Bake at low shelf for 10mins, then lower to 160ºC and bake for 55mins.
11. Turn cake tin upside down & cool for 1hr.