TASTE THE SWEETNESS OF SUMMER WITH GARY RHODES’ NAUGHTY BUT NICE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
 
FROMAGE BLANC ‘CHEESECAKE’ WITH KENTISH STRAWBERRIES
 
Make a real impression at your summer soirée this July, and treat your guests to Gary Rhodes’ inspirational take on this simple yet satisfying, quintessentially British dessert – courtesy of the expert Rhodes W1 team at Guoman’s The Cumberland hotel. 
 
There’s no better way then savouring the summer with this delicately light, beautifully fresh cheesecake, using the best of seasonal fruits – enjoy!
 
Ingredients (serves 4)

For the macerated strawberries:
12 English Mara de bois strawberries
200ml water
100g sugar
50ml strawberry liquor
 
For the fromage blanc mousse:
200g good quality crème fraiche
100g double cream
25g sugar
2 gelatine leaves
25g sugar
Squeeze of lemon juice
 
For the strawberry sorbet:
400g strawberries hulled and roughly chopped
100g caster sugar
25g glucose syrup
125g water
 
Method:
 
Step One: Cut the strawberries in half, bring the water, strawberry liquor and sugar to the boil and pour over the strawberries, leaving for twenty minutes to macerate.
 
Step Two: Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes until soft and pliable, then in a pan gently warm the double cream with the sugar, then add the soaked gelatine and mix. Add to a liquidizer with the fromage blanc and blend on a low speed (It’s important you don’t boil the cream as it can split). Pour into a terrine mould lined with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When the mousse is set it can be de-moulded and cut into cubes to present beautifully.
 
Step Three:
Place the strawberries in a liquidizer and blend until smooth, pass through a sieve to remove the seeds.
In a pan gently warm the water, sugar and glucose and then whisk it in to the strawberry puree. Place in to an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
 
To Serve:
 
Place four cubes of the fromage blanc mousse on to a serving plate, drain the macerated strawberries from the liquor and place six halves on the plate, add a scoop of the strawberry sorbet and a few micro basil leaves for a lovely aromatic flavour.  Sprinkle some broken shortbread biscuit on the plate for the cheese cake authenticity.
 
Rhodes W1 Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant, Brasserie and Private Dining restaurants can all be found at The Cumberland hotel, Great Cumberland Place, London W1H 7DL

http://www.guoman.com
 
For your chance to sample this beautiful dessert prepared by Gary and the Rhodes W1 team first-hand, tickets are now available for a one-off seasonal fruits inspired dining experience held at The Cumberland hotel on Wednesday July 28th.  For tickets call The Cumberland:  0871 376 9014

This recipe is from Gary Rhodes’ Rhodes W1 fine dining restaurant @ The Cumberland Hotel, London W1.