Recipe Classics

The Spring edition of Archive gives you classic tea party recipes for the Perfect Carrot Cake, Viennese Biscuits and Choco-Cupcakes. Here are a few more essentials for your baking repertoire.

White Chocolate Cheesecake

• 150g crushed biscuits
• 55g butter
• 300g white chocolate
• 400g soft cream cheese (full fat or otherwise)
• 150mls crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Break the biscuits down into crumbs by placing them in a polythene bag and methodically bashing them all (on a flat surface) with a rolling pin.
2. Melt the butter in a small pan over gentle heat and mix with the biscuit crumbs. Line a 25cm cake tin (or flan dish) with baking parchment. Press the biscuit/melted butter mixture over the base of the tin and refrigerate. .
3. Melt the chocolate by first breaking it into pieces and placing in a bowl. Sit the bowl snugly in the top of a small pan over a moderate heat. Once melted, remove from the heat and leave to cool. 
4. In a sturdy mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, crème fraiche and vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate and combine all the ingredients evenly.
5. Take the biscuit crumb base from the fridge. Spoon the cream cheese, crème fraiche and melted chocolate mixture over the refrigerated biscuit/jelly combination. Level with a palette knife.
6. Chill the white chocolate cheesecake overnight in the fridge or a minimum of three hours before serving if this is not possible.

To decorate:
Decorate your exquisite dessert with cool colours; sliced white grapes or slices of fresh lime, a sprig of fresh mint. Don’t overdo the decoration though, keep it clean and simple. For a simple, elegant, finishing touch: curl (or grate) a little white chocolate on the centre of the cheesecake before serving.

Millionaire’s Shortbread

For The Shortbread:

• 250g plain flour, sifted
• 2 tbsp cornflour, sifted
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• 200g unsalted butter

For The Caramel:

• 100g caster sugar
• 200g soft brown sugar
• 200g unsalted butter
• 1tsp sea salt
• 225ml double cream

For The Chocolate:

• 300g plain chocolate (or a combination; see above)

1.  Butter and line a 23cm square or 20x30cm tin. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.
2. Sift the flours and sugar together, then add the butter, cut into cubes, and use a knife to cut it more finely through the flour. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to rub it in, quickly and lightly, until the mixture is a coarse sand consistency.
3. Scatter the mixture into the prepared tin and press lightly to even it out. Prick all over with a fork to prevent it from rising.
4. Put into the preheated oven, turn down the heat to 150 degrees, and bake for 30 minutes or until golden at the edges. Take out of the oven and cool.
5. In a large saucepan, warm the sugars. Bring slowly to boiling point, then bubble for about 7-8 minutes, or until the mixture is a rich caramel colour (watch carefully and stir to ensure it doesn’t burn on the bottom).
6. Weigh the butter and cut it into pieces, then add to the sugar with the salt and double cream, and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Let the caramel cool in the pan for a few minutes before pouring it over the shortbread base. Smooth it out with a spatula and let it cool for a few more minutes before you melt the chocolate.
8. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. When it’s smooth, drizzle it over the caramel, spreading with a knife. Put the tray in a cool place to set. Cut into small squares to serve.

These recipes are courtesy of Cake Baker.