Delicious Australia - (10)October 2020

I LOVE...

TEAM

SPIRIT

THEPASTSIXmonthshavebeenonemassiveacidtrip,and
notthegoodkind.Thingsthatyoureliedonandtookforgranted

• likeflour,pastaortoiletpaper– becameillusory.Asdideveryday
  pleasureslikecoffeewithfriendsin a cafe,orholdinghandsacross
  a candlelittableasthewaiterpourschardonnay.Foranyonewho
  worksin foodorhospitality,thishasbeena terrifyingtime.Work
  hasdriedupandsohavethecustomers,andthefuturelooks
  bleakerthana pre-GlasnostEasternEuropeanlovetragedy,
  withcripplingrestrictions on numbers even when youare
  allowedtoopen.
  If therehasbeenonesparkofjoy,oneemberworthfanning,
  it hasbeenthewaythatsomanyproducers,restaurateursand
  cafeownershavedeftlypivotedtokeeptheirbusinessesalive.
  I knowthattherehavebeennights(anddays)whentheimmensity
  ofthechallengeloomedlarge,yettheyhavepushedon.Chefs,
  waitersandbaristashavealsoputtheirshouldertothewheelto
  keepbusinessesgoing,notjustfortodaybutforthefuture.This,
  forme,is thedefinitionofcommunity.Theyshouldbeproud,and
  weshouldbeproudofthem,fortryingtosave this country’s food
  culturethattrulyis theenvyoftheworld.
  It’sbeenthesameatdelicious. I havebeenamazedand
  immenselyproudoftheteamthathaskeptthismagazinegoing.
  I’mcominguptomy19thanniversarywritinghere,andI’venever
  seentheyoungteambemoreimpressive.Notjustin producing
  thismulti-award-winingpublicationremotely,butalsoin termsof
  overcomingthedeletionofeverythingwe’vetakenforgranted
  (likethecollegiatenatureofphotoshootsandthetestkitchen).
  delicious. is a tight-knitcommunity,andlosingthatface-to-face
  contactwasperhapsthehardestofthesacrificesthat had to be
  madetokeepgoingwhileotherscloseddown.
  Theaimofthisissueis tocelebratethepowerandloveof
  community,sothismonth’srecipeneededtobea littledecadent
  andjoyous.Somethingtocelebrateeverythingwe’vesurvivedand
  continuetosurvive.It alsoneededtonodtothecomforting
  reassuranceofretroflavours– thepeanutbrittleandCaramac
  chocolatebarofmyyouth.After 45 minutesbaskingin thewarm
  glowoffoodguruPhoebeWood’screativity,wecameupwitha
  cheesecake.Butthisisn’tanycheesecake,thisis a roastedwhite
  chocolatecheesecakewitha brownbutterbiscuitbaseandpeanut
  brittlethatis perfectforcelebratingwitha mob.Orit canbe
  scaleddown,if it’sjusta matterofrewardingyourselfforhowwell
  you have coped over the past six months. Nice work by the way.

MattPrestonlooksatthebrightsideandfinds

community, culture and incredible cheesecake.

ROASTEDWHITECHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

WITHPEANUT BRITTLE

SERVES10 -12

Begin this recipe 5 hours ahead. You will need a sugar thermometer.

360gwhitechocolate,finely chopped

400gdigestivebiscuits

170gunsaltedbutter,melted,cooled

(^1) / 3 cup(50g)saltedpeanuts,finelychopped
750gcreamcheese,chopped,softened
250gsourcream,atroomtemperature
3 eggs,plus1 eggyolk
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
PEANUTBRITTLE
100gcastersugar
60gglucosesyrup
120groastedpeanuts
10gunsaltedbutter
(^1) / 2 tspsaltflakes
(^1) / 8 tsp bicarb soda
Preheatovento130°C.Linea largeoventraywithbakingpaper.
Scatterthewhitechocolateevenlyoverthetrayandroastfor
10 minutes,thenremoveandstir.Returntotheovenandroast,
stirringandpressingevery5 minutes,for 25 minutesoruntildark
goldenandcaramelised.(Don’tworryif thechocolate seizes as it
willcomebacktogetherin thefollowingstep.)
Transferroastedchocolatetoa heatproofbowlsetovera
saucepanofsimmeringwater(don’tletthebowltouchwater),
stirringandpressingfor8-10minutesuntilcombinedin a finely
texturedpaste.Removefromtheheat,cooltoroomtemperature.
Increaseovento160°C.Greasethebaseandsideofa 22cm
springformcakepanandlinethebasewithbakingpaper.
Placebiscuitsin a foodprocessorandwhizuntilfinecrumbs,
pulsein butterandpeanuts.Pressmixtureevenlyintobaseand
sideofpreparedpan,chilluntilneeded.Wipeoutfoodprocessor.
Placecreamcheesein theprocessorandwhizuntilsmooth.Add
sourcreamandwhiztocombine.Addeggs,yolk,castersugarand
cooledroastedwhitechocolate,andwhiztocombine.Pourinto
panandplaceonanoventray.Bakefor1 hour 20 minutesoruntil
justsetwitha gentlewobblein thecentre.Turnoffovenandcool
completelyin theoven,thenchillfor4 hoursoruntilfirmandset.
Forthebrittle,linea bakingtraywithbakingpaperandplaceon
awirerack.Combinesugarand^1 / 3 cup(80ml)waterin a small
heavy-basedsaucepanoverlowheat.Cook,stirringconstantly
untilsugarhasdissolved.Stirin theglucosethenincreaseheatto
mediumandbringtotheboil.Boil,withoutstirring,untilthe
mixturereaches130°Cona sugarthermometer.Stirin peanuts
andsimmer,stirringoccasionally,untilmixturereaches150°C.
Removefromheat.Addbutter,saltandstirin bicarbsodauntil
wellcombined.Pourintopreparedtrayand,usinga knife,spread
intoa thinlayer.Setasidetocoolcompletely then crumble.
Scatter over cheesecake to serve. PHOTOGRAPHY
BEN DEARNLEY
STYLING
KIRSTEN JENKINS
42 delicious.com.au
I’M LOVING.