Melicia’s Red Velvet, Cheesecake XL Slice

Red Velvet Cake Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
2. Line a 15-20 cm square tin with greaseproof paper and grease with spray and cook.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder together.
4. Whisk the food colouring, oil, vanilla extract and castor sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add buttermilk to the wet ingredients and mix well.
6. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix till a smooth mixture is formed.
7. Add bicarbonate of soda to the vinegar. Mix well into the batter.
8. Divide mixture into the 4 cake tins.
9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
10. Leave to cool slightly in the tins. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

BAKED VANILLA CHEESECAKE

500g cream cheese
150g sugar
3 eggs
15ml lemon juice
15ml honey
1 vanilla pod, seeds

Method:

1. Place cream cheese in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat till smooth.
2. Add sugar, vanilla seeds, honey and lemon juice.
3. Add eggs and mix till well combined.

Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C until wobbly in the centre approx. 30 minutes.

RASPBERRY COULIS/ SAUCE

50g raspberries
50g sugar
10ml lemon juice

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook until thick and slightly reduced.
2. Blend mixture using a stick blender.
3. Pass through a strainer for a smooth gel (Melicia kept the seeds in hers)
4. Place in a piping bag and chill until required.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

50g cream cheese
50g Clover butter, salted
200g icing sugar, sifted

1. Beat room temperature cream cheese till smooth, add butter and beat till fluffy.
2. Gradually add sifted icing sugar, beating between each addition until a light and fluffy.

RASPBERRY MASCARPONE CHEESE QUENELLES

50g Mascarpone cheese
20g icing sugar, sifted
5 fresh raspberries

1. Mix mascarpone and icing sugar till well combined.
2. Mash the raspberries with a fork and add mascarpone mixture to the raspberries. Mix till a ripple effect is formed. Set aside.

To assemble:

1. Cut a rectangle from the Red Velvet cake.
2. Using a small plain nozzle/ skewer, poke holes in the Red Velvet cake, pipe the raspberry gel into the holes. Place “hole” side down on a serving plate/ platter.
3. Measure the height and length of the Red Velvet Cake.
4. To cut the cheese cake, place ruler on top of the cheesecake, score the “height” measurement for the width of the slice.
5. Use the “length” measurement to cut the same length of cheesecake.
6. Use some cream cheese icing on either side of the Red Velvet Cake. This will be the glue that adheres the cheesecake to the red velvet cake.
7. Place a palette knife under the cheesecake slice, turn the cheesecake, filling side up against the red velvet rectangle. The biscuit base will not be on the outside.
8. Repeat the process on the other side of the Red Velvet cake.
9. With the left over cake, crumb some to decorate the top.
10. Quenelle the Mascarpone, raspberry cream.
11. Pipe some raspberry gel randomly.
12. Add fresh raspberries and some micro herbs to finish of the Red Velvet, Cheesecake XL slice.