Making a cheesecake in France

[Millymollymandy]

But does it whip though? Everyone I've heard who has tried that says it doesn't. I can buy double cream too, but it's not whippable unless you like froth. Oh well never mind, I'd rather have clotted anyway. I keep saying I'm going to try the make your own cream recipe (look down this section Wendy for the thread on cream makers) to see if it whips - just need a dessert to make as an excuse!

[chadspad]

Hi M3 - it definitely does whip properly. I use it for stuffing profiteroles. Do you have the U supermarket there or is it just our way? Ive not seen them down South.

Any excuse for making puds is good enough - even that the day has a Y in it lol.

[Millymollymandy]

Yup, my usual supermarket is Hyper U. Is this in the fresh section? I've just heard so many stories about creme professional. Are you sure you mean it just whips up like English cream or are you using that vile chantilly fix and sugar?

[chadspad]

No not fresh. Its usually in the aisle with the little cartons of single cream and creme anglais, tinned evap, milk etc. Its a litre carton made by Montaigu. Drk blue carton with bowl of cream being whisked!! I dont use anything else with it just normal hand whisk or electric whisk and its brilliant. Bet youre going out now to buy some arent you?!

[Millymollymandy]

Yes, er let me write that name down quick on my shopping list before I forget.... Mind you, a whole litre, what the hell am I going to do with all that? (does it freeze?)

Actually sorry, I think it was creme Fleurette that some people swore by (on various French forums) and others said it never whipped at all!

Edit: just looked up their website and they might just be local to you, just like I bet you don't get St Malo yoghurt. I'll still have a look though.

[chadspad]

Well if theyve not got it you'll have to come down here for a glass of wine and stock up on double cream

[chadspad]

Did you find the cream M3?

[Millymollymandy]

Oh bollox went shopping the other day, and the notes I scribbled down from your posting are sitting here on my desk and not by the shopping list on the kitchen table! Oh well, next time!

[chadspad]

[Millymollymandy]

I found it, I found it, in fact just as we were going to the checkout I saw the LL milk section and suddenly thought about it and went and had a look and there it was! Bloody big pack of it though, can I whip half and freeze the rest of it unwhipped? We'd never get through that amount of whipped cream

[chadspad]

Yeh!! Not sure on freezing it. Ive left it opened for couple of weeks in fridge and its still been fine.

[Millymollymandy]

It works!!! I still can't believe it. All these years I've lived in this bloody country, I've read about 100 discussions about whipping cream on various French forums and the only person who has found a cream that actually does it is you! From now on you are my heroine and I will salute you

I must go and do my duty and spread the word.

By the way put the rest of the box into a couple of tubs in the freezer so will report back at some point whether that whips up too when defrosted.

[chadspad]

Im really not worthy lol but glad to have been of assistance!!

[chadspad]

Back to the most important subject of cheesecakes...............I made this yesterday and it was amazing!! I did raspberries and rasp jam intead of strawberries as the garden is full of them. Gorgeous!!

85g low-fat biscuits (we used WeightWatchers ginger biscuits)
200g tub extra-light soft cheese
200g tub 0% fat Greek yogurt
4 tbsp caster sugar
few drops vanilla extract
2 tbsp good-quality strawberry jam
100g strawberries , hulled and sliced

1.Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until you have chunky crumbs. Divide between 4 glasses or small bowls.
2.Beat the soft cheese, yogurt, sugar and vanilla together until smooth, then spoon over the crumbs and chill until you are ready to serve.
3.Stir the jam in a bowl until loose, then gently stir in the strawberries. Divide the strawberries between the cheesecakes and serve.

Different fruit
Top these little pots with whatever fruit you've got at home. For a delicious banoffee version, slice bananas and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice and a spoonful of caramel sauce, or roughly crush raspberries with peach slices to make it Melba-style.

[Millymollymandy]

0% fat greek yoghurt, is this possible? Sounds great apart from the vanilla (why do recipes keep saying to use the vile stuff, it's just not necessary ).

I've yet to try my frozen whipping cream but I will report back on this thread, at the moment too busy making/eating blackcurrant ice cream (from last year's currants!) and cherry clafouti, poor hubby says I'm trying to fatten him up. I did give him the option of having cherries rather than the clafouti last night but guess what he opted for ......

The sieved sugary cooked blackcurrant thick coulis type stuff (what do you call that? it's much thicker than coulis) necessary for making the ice cream would be wonderful spread on a cheesecake.

Mmmmmmmmmmm oh dear.