Lemon Curd and Strawberry Swirls Cheesecake

February 01, 2012
cheesecake

How was your Chinese New Year Celebration? 'Chow-ing down' loads and loads of festive food? And for the Young and Restless and Single ~ received many red packets (known as Ang Pows)?

Ours was a quiet family affair... with lots of food that can last us the 'whole year' so to speak. We had Steamboat, Crispy fried Wonton, Sang Choy Bow and Lor Ark or Chinese Braised Duck... Oh Boy!! we were like whales about to give birth by the end of the day...

Sleep or Siesta was never far from my mind... It was very ... very ... very difficult keeping my eyes open... I would have to use tooth pick to hold the eyelids from 'Shutting'...
Dont be alarmed... I wasn't going to do that 


...and if I did I would have missed this gorgeous sunset...
The last sunset, marking the end of the Year of the Rabbit... see the glowing Rabbit's tail bobbing down the horizon?

With the Rabbit gone... I wanted to complete the picture by welcoming the Dragon ... early ...the next day.


Woke up early and captured I did... I was thrilled...
What I saw was mesmerising..  the horizon was glowing by the minute... the sky, clouds and everything else were like a priceless Painting... A Masterpiece in the sky...
a Painting of Baby Dragon breathing its first 'Fire Ball'... My photo didn't do any justice to what I witnessed...


Baby Dragon hatched and it breathed 'Fire', alright... We were having 10 straight of very HOT summer days... with thermometer hovering around high 30's to low 40's...

I dont feel like potter-ing around the kitchen much in this heat... I'd prefer to serve everything COLD... like this Lemon curd and Strawberry Swirls.
To enjoy a slice... with ice cold drinks would be a Bliss  

Lemon Curd and Strawberry Swirls Cheesecake

Lemon Curd and Strawberry Swirls Cheesecake 

 (adapted from Good Taste June 2009)
200g pkt Arnott's Lattice Biscuits
500g cream cheese, softened
395g sweet condensed milk
3 teaspoon gelatine
2 tablespoon boiling water
250 ml or 1 cup of lemon curd
3 tablespoon of strawberry jam
  1. Line base of 20cm x 20cm dish with baking paper allowing the sides to overhang. Line the base with biscuits and cutting to fit if necessary.
  2. Use electric mixer and beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add condensed milk and beat until combined.
  3. Place the gelatine with the boiling water in  a small bowl, and stir until dissolves.
  4. Add to the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined.
  5. Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the biscuits.
  6. Spoon half of the lemon curd.
  7. Use a skewer to make swirls. 
  8. Repeat with the remaining mixture (Reserve about 2 tablespoon of lemon curd, add one drop of yellow colouring, mix well) and dollop with strawbery jam and the 'coloured' lemon curd..
  9.  Again use a clean skewer to make swirls.
  10. Refrigerate overnight.
Note : I substituted 500g creamcheese with Philly 80% fat free spreadable cream cheese

Comments

  1. Yum! The cheesecake looks and sound delicious.
    And happy Chinese New Year!

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  2. Lovely sunset and sunrise pictures! Those cheesecake slices look amazing and ever so tempting!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. We have a pretty cold Chinese New Year here, with the lowest dropped below 10 degree C. So it seemed to be safe and comfy to stay in bed late : ). But it also meant that I hadn’t got a chance to meet the early Dragon. Thanks for sharing your shots. I bet this lemon curd is also a great treat after a steamboat meal, isn’t it! .
    Happy and Healthy Year of Dragon!

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  4. I wonder if I can replace the condensed milk with sour cream. Have never made a no-bake cheesecake!

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  5. I love this beautiful cheesecake♥♥♥
    Love to grab a slice now :)

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  6. Beautiful - I love the flavors for summer!

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  7. wao wao wao... cream cheese + condensed milk is one of my fav combos EVER!! was hooked after tasting my friend's family recipe cheesecake few yrs back. but i could never find a right recipe for it until now, seriously loveee this. bookmarked to make another time, wee-hee, can't wait. btw i rly love how symbolic both the sunrise/sunset photos were marking the new year. mother nature is so beautiful!

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  8. Just stunning. The entire post. The lemon squares the skies and the summer downunder!! :)

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  9. Love the colors and love condensed milk ..... First time at your blog and love the space will be a regular here:)

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  10. Indie Tea,
    Thank you :D

    Rosa
    :D

    TasteHongKong
    Kong Hei Fatt Choy to you and family :D

    Pickyin
    Personally... I would not as my homemade lemoncurd is always on the sour side :)
    but no harm done in experimenting ;)

    Ann
    Come for tea :)

    Yasmeen
    Thank you

    Winston
    I used to love 'pouring' (note: not drizzle ;P) condensed milk onto and into everything... be it bread or tea or kopi o or roti canai... but that habit has stop since... only occassional one or two dipping :P

    Shulie,
    awww thanks dearie :D

    Tumericnspice
    you are welcome anytime into my 'kitchen' :D

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  11. Lisa, am making this now!! he he the weather here is crazy. Today we have a nice sunny morning and in split seconds it turned to stormy weather. so yeay I get to eat this bar with a cup of coffee. :D

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  12. Welcome back! I was eagerly waiting for the email notification coming in from you! What a delicious sweet. I LOVE lemon curd so this will be my favorite for sure. Beautiful photo, Lisa. I'm trying to work on lighting this year... yours look so perfect! Mine is nearly close to yours, so I'm looking forward to studying your food photography this year! ;-) Great to hear you had a very relaxing New Year celebration. Sounds like my New Year celebration back in Japan. Too bad we have "reuglar" day from January 2nd. It makes me miss Japan so much during New Years...

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  13. gosh all your photographs are making me go gaga! I especially love your depiction of the sunset as the bunny and the lovely skies as the dragon ;p

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  14. The swirls of the lemon curd and the gorgeous photograph, makes me want to reach out and touch them. So pretty!! and a beautiful combo. Happy New Year Lisa to you and yours!

    (LOL to like whales ready to give brith :D )

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  15. What beautiful swirls!

    And the lattice biscuits from Arnott's is interesting.

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  16. Ribbon Clown
    Climate change... I have been here nearly 9 years, first time it rained overnight in summer.
    How yours turned out?

    :D

    Nami
    That is good to hear that you are happy with your photos and the lighting... unfortunately (as I mentioned in FB), I have to re-learn and get to know lighting here :(

    Janine
    awww.... thanks Janine :D

    Soma
    Thanks Soma :D

    tigerfish
    :D

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  17. That photo of sunrise ... the cloud SIGH!!! SO AMAZING.
    As for the treat .. what can i say .. i love lemon in everything .. sweet or savory and that looks sooo pretty. I am gonna make this sometime.

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  18. Absolutely delicious looking cheesecake slices...
    Yumm.
    Lovely pictures!!!

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  19. This looks gorgeous!!! I love those swirls of lemon curd and strawberry! I bet it tastes amazing. And that sunset photo is just so beautiful!

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  20. Have always liked the clear blue skies in Australia.... :) And I absolutely love love love this cake! So beautifully done and full of flavours that I enjoy!

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  21. I miss to have all the food during CNY!
    I love the combo for the cheesecake!! yummy!

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  22. Thank you for the recipe. I just tried to make it... how on earth do you manage not to combine everything when you spread out the second half of the cream cheese mix on top of you first layer??? I now have a strawberry lemon cheese cake which will probably still taste good but doesn't look very appealing :-( Thanks for your help!

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  23. Kankana
    :D

    Reem
    Thanks ... dear

    Jennifer
    It was plate licking good for the kids :D

    Shirley
    I love the blue sky and wispy clumpy clouds too... Feels like I am looking at the Simpson the TV series sky ;)

    Leemei
    awww.... Tak pa ...1 day you'll be able to

    Dorrie
    Thanks for trying... :)
    What I did ~ after spreading the 2nd layer cheese mix... I dollop the lemon curd- give it a few swirl...careful not to overmix.
    dollop strawberry jam and again swirl with swift action as the jam will sink... Just use the sharper end of skewer and drag the jam ...

    And for the final curd (w yellow coloring ... aesthetic purposes)~ using drizzle action, drizzle in circular motion then use skewer to make the fine lines.
    Hope this helps...

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  24. O wow... I bookmarked this to make in the summer. At the moment we are having heavy cold so not really the time for these lovely summer treats. And that sky is just amazing!

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  25. Gorgeous sunset and the sky photos!
    The cheesecake looks heavenly and I really love those crackers.

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