Chocolate and other sweet desserts are traditionally associated with Valentine’s Day celebrations.
This week’s recipes offer two dessert ideas to complement those heart-shaped boxes of chocolates.
• • •
Apricot Cheesecake
1 cup graham wafer crumbs
2 tbsps. sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-14 oz. can apricot halves
2 tbsps. unflavoured gelatine
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs, separated
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups cottage cheese, put through sieve
1 1/2 cups Eagle Brand condensed milk
2 tbsps. lemon juice
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter and mix well. Press onto the bottom and up to one inch around the sides of a 10 inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
Drain the apricots well, reserving liquid to about 1 cup. Reserve 6-8 apricot halves for decorating and put remainder through a sieve.
In top of double boiler sprinkle the gelatine over the milk and let stand for 5 minutes. Add beaten egg yolks. Cook over hot water, stirring constantly until gelatine is dissolved and mixture slightly thickens. Stir in sieved apricots. Cool until partially thickened.
In a large bowl combine cream cheese and cottage cheese and blend well. Stir in condensed milk and lemon juice. Blend in apricot mixture.
Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into mixture. Turn into crust. Refrigerate 3-4 hours.
Slice apricot halves and arrange on cheesecake.
Blend 1/4 cup apricot liquid with cornstarch. Add 3/4 cup apricot liquid and cook until thick and clear. Cool slightly. Spoon over cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Slice into about 12-15 servings. Store leftovers in sealed container in fridge.
Note: canned peaches may be substituted for apricots.
• • •
Daiquiri Pie
1-9 inch baked pastry shell
1 envelope (1 tbsp.) unflavoured gelatine
1/4 cup cold water
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup rum
drop of red food colouring
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
red and green cherries for garnish
In the top of a double boiler, sprinkle gelatine on cold water and let soften. Place pan over hot water and stir until fully dissolved.
Blend milk and lime juice in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in rum until evenly mixed. Add gelatine and a drop of food colouring and blend thoroughly. Chill until mixture starts to thicken.
Whip cream and gently fold into milk mixture. Turn into prepared pastry shell. Chill until firm, about 2-3 hours. Garnish with cherry halves.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
