Cooks Corner

After-Eight Cheesecake for that special occasion

Ingredients:

8oz Philadelphia cream cheese

3oz icing sugar

10 after eight mints

2 oz chocolate

 2 tbs water

1.      Cream the Philadelphia cheese and icing sugar together.

2.      Melt the after eight mints, dark chocolate over a saucepan of water. Cool and fold into the cheese mixture.

3.      Add ½ pt softly whipped cream.

Base

3 oz melted margarine

7 oz crushed digestive biscuits

4.      Mix the margarine and biscuits together and press into a 9” flan tin.

5.      Put the cheese/chocolate mixture on top and leave in fridge to set.

6.      Decorate with whipped cream, rosettes and After-eights cut to suit your style

Enjoy and don't worry about points or calories!

CARRAGEEN MOSS - BRIEF HISTORY AND RECIPE- A CURE FOR ALL ILLS

Carrageen moss is a seaweed, named after a village that once had a thriving industry in the stuff. It's generally gathered off the south and west coasts and is sometimes referred to as Irish moss. It is one of the most attractive-looking of all the edible seaweeds, with little fans of pink, purple and cream. Because it contains natural gelling agents, it's a perfect thickener for soups, stews and puddings - hence this carrageen moss pudding.

At one time, it was boiled with hot milk and honey to make a soothing drink for sore throats, and is highly recommended as a cure for stomach problems and sleeplessness.

It's rarely seen on a menu these days, however, and only found in the occasional reference in a cookbook.

Carrageen Moss

8-10g dried carrageen moss
600ml milk
1 vanilla pod
1 large egg, separated
30g caster sugar
300ml rich double cream, like Jersey

Soak the carrageen in tepid water for about 10 minutes until it softens. Drain off the water and place in a saucepan with the milk. Split and scrape the seeds of the vanilla pod into the milk and add the pod too. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Put the egg yolk into a bowl with the sugar and mix well with a whisk. Strain the milk mixture on to the egg yolk, pushing through all the jelly-like, swollen moss with the back of a spoon. Add the cream and leave to cool, then refrigerate for 30 minutes or so until almost set.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg white until fluffy and carefully fold into the milk mixture. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate.