something crunchy, something sweet

Do you like cheesecake? Good! If you also like almonds and lime even better. I made a delicious lime and almond cheesecake, light, refreshing and with a bit of a crunch.

Head straight to the recipe

This past week has been really hot. The summer heat in Athens has me hiding under the A/C and the outcome of the British referendum had monopolised my interest. The result of Brexit left me numb. There are many questions as to how things will evolve from this point onward and my thoughts are with friends and family up in London. For most of them the result was a rude shock in the system. I will spare any further commentary, the internet is inundating by info as disheartening as Brits are frantically googling what the EU is and somewhat crazy petitions calling for a second referendum and London seeking independence, Scotland being much more serious about it and an unbelievable divide in the country.

In true British spirit I will simple call upon Great British humour :

‘Brit seeking wife with EU passport, I don’t have much money as Sterling is worthless, but I make a mean cup of tea. ….’

When things get bitter you need something sweet, here is a lime and almond cheesecake.

Ingredients:

• 250 gr biscuits, such as digestive/graham crackers
• 110 gr unsalted butter
• 100 gr almonds, crushed
• 500 gr cream cheese, at room temperature
• 250 ml double cream
• 100 gr of icing sugar
• 1 tbsp of vanilla essence
• 2 limes, for its juice and rind

Caramelised almonds for decoration

• 50 gr almonds – 50 gr sugar

What to do:

1. In your food processor, add the almonds and crush to get them roughly chopped.
2. Remove and continue with the biscuits.
3. In a large bowl mix approximately 100 gr of ground almonds and the biscuits.
4. Mix to combine and add the unsalted butter, melted.
5. Take the mix to form the base of your cheesecake, I used a long tart tin, but the same quantities will fill a 24cm cake tin
6. Place in the fridge to set for at least 30 min.
7. To make the filling, in a large mixing bowl add the cream cheese, double cream, vanilla essence, icing sugar, the rind of one lime and it’s juice and with the help of a handheld mixer combine to get a smooth, buttery mixture.
8. Take your almond and biscuit base out of the fridge and smoothly layer the cream cheese filling.
9. Return the cake in the fridge and let it set for at least 5 hours.

Decoration
You can simply grate some lime rind before serving or take it a bit further and caramelise some almonds.

1. For the caramelised almonds, add the sugar in the pan and let it melt.
2. Remove from fire, add in the crushed almonds and stir to coat with the caramel.
3. Place the mixture on some baking parchment and layer it out to a thin sheet.
4. Once cooled down you can break it to smaller pieces to decorate your dessert.

So here is to a light, refreshing, crunchy and very summery cheesecake. Enjoy with good company!

From Athens with love,

Eugenia

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