梨子咖啡芝士蛋糕 Pear and Coffee Cheesecake

這個梨子咖啡芝士蛋糕就是我在前兩篇網誌內所說我們的套餐飯後甜品。

We had this Pear and coffee cheesecake as a dessert to end the three course meal I have been writing about in my last two posts.

這個芝士蛋糕的好處是可以一、兩天前做好，連在糕面上做裝飾的巧克力卷也可以預先做定，放在冰箱裏。

The beauty of this cheesecake is that you can prepare it a couple of days before your dinner party. You can even pre-make the chocolate curls used for decoration, and just keep them in the fridge.

要吃的時候才一起取出來，把巧克力卷放上，喜歡的話洒些糖霜粉點綴；方便得很。

Then, when the time comes to serve dessert just delicately place them on top of the cake and sprinkle on some icing sugar if you like.  it's so easy.

剛做好的時候，有人已不能等第ニ天晚飯後才吃 ... 說要替我試味，當天下午就要切一塊來伴下午茶和咖啡 。

I made the cake a day before our dinner, but somebody couldn't wait till the next day before trying it ...

Husband said he wanted to do a test for me, and what better way to have it than with the afternoon tea or coffee.

這芝士蛋糕其實是沒有用蛋的。除了上面說的優點外，最好的地方是不需要入烤箱烘焙，冷凍過程更不用下啫喱粉以助凝結。

There are no eggs needed for this recipe, and not only does it not require any baking but there is no need to use gelatine to ensure it sets in the fridge either.

我還選用了只含半脂肪的軟芝士，與新鮮的忌廉一起打發至軟綿適度；再加入已先用少許糖水煮柔了的梨塊、搗碎了的意大利杏仁餅、加點含咖啡味的烈性甜酒，拌勻後置冰箱內一小時就可以了，方便嗎？

I've used half-fat soft cheese mixed with fresh cream, as well as the poached pears, amaretto biscuit pieces, and a little coffee liqueur to flavour it.  With all the ingredients mixed together well and kept in the fridge, it is ready to serve in an hour. How convenient is that?

還有兩個月便是聖誕節了。由現在開始倒數，無論季節、景色、音樂、食物、氣氛、禮物、親友、家人 ...... 生命中感受最深、最重視的一切，都在這段時間聚集一起，濃濃的讓我心內充滿喜悅。

There are only two months until Christmas.  I am eagerly counting down the days and enjoying the seasonal atmosphere.  There's the weather, food, music, presents, family, friends ... everything that touches me the most is gathering at this time of the year, filling me with such joy and happy feelings.

我雖然不是基督徒，但自小愛這個節日。以前喜歡唱聖詩收禮物吃東西。現在則喜歡裹得暖暖的披著大衣、圍了領巾出門去替家人親友挑禮物。開車煮飯時欣賞或和唱著收音機每年這個時候才播的音樂；盤算要預備的食物、構思家中的佈置、等候回家的孩子、來訪的朋友、去探望的親人 ... 當然還有一頓頓用温暖愛心去烹調的飯聚；圍在樹下興奮交換的禮物 ...

聖誕節，你知道為甚麼我會這麼期待了嗎？

Although I'm not a Christian, I've loved Christmas ever since I was little.  I used to like singing Christmas carols and opening presents.  Now, I love to wrap myself up against the cold; go out and shop for presents for my family and friends; listen to Christmas music whilst driving or cooking; plan ahead for festive meals; organise decorations for the house, and wait for the children to come home. I also look forward to visits from friends and going to see relatives ... sharing with them each heart-warming meal and of course, exchanging presents under the tree ...

Christmas: now you know why I love it so much?

梨子杏仁芝士蛋糕 
( 8-10 人份)

材料：

煮梨：

• 大梨子 2 個
• 幼砂糖 50g
• 水 100ml 
• 雲尼拿香莢 1 條

底部：

• Digestive 餅 150g
• 無鹽牛油 50g
• 巧克力醬如 Nutella, 2 湯匙

餡料：

• 半脂軟芝士( 起司) 如 Philadelphia light 那樣的 300g
• 幼砂糖 125g
• 濃忌亷 ( 雙倍奶油，double cream / heavy cream, 乳脂含脂 48% ) 550 ml
• 咖啡味的烈酒 3 湯匙
• 意大利杏仁餅 Amaretti biscuits, 搗碎

裝飾：

• 好質素的黑巧克力 150g
• 好質素的牛奶巧克力 150g
• 洒在巧克力卷上的糖霜粉

忘了把牛奶巧克力放在盤中拍照  Forgot to put the milk chocolate in the tray for this photo

Pear and Coffee Cheesecake
( serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

Poached pears:

• 2 large pears
• 50g caster sugar
• 100ml water
• 1 vanilla pod

Base:

• 150g digestive biscuits
• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp chocolate spread, such as Nutella

Filling:

• 300g half-fat cream cheese ( i.e. Philadelphia-type)
• 125g caster sugar
• 550ml double cream
• 3 tbsp coffee flavour liqueur
• 100g amaretti biscuits, lightly crused

To decorate:

• 150g good quality dark chocolate
• 150g good quality milk chocolate
• icing sugar, to dust

做法 Method：

1.  先做餅底。把 Digestive 餅用攪拌機打至幼粒狀，倒入大碗中。小鍋把牛油融化後加入
     巧克力醬，一起混進餅碎中拌勻。在盤邊可以彈開和脫底的糕盤底內，先塗少許牛油再鋪
     烘焙紙以防移動。把餅料鋪上按平，置冰箱內 30 分鐘。

1.  For the cheesecake base, blitz the digestives in a food processor to fine crumbs, then tip into a bowl.
     Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the chocolate spread.  Add to the biscuit crumbs and mix well.
     Spread the mixture evenly over the base of a springform cake tin, pressing down lightly. Chill for 30
     minutes.

2.   然後煮梨。梨子去皮去心切成 1 cm 方塊。小煲內加水用小火把糖溶化，切開香草莢，
      把種子刮出另一大碗中備用。外殼放進糖水中小火煮數分鐘出味。把梨塊加進去一起煮 3
      分鐘後過篩放涼備用。

3.   做餡料。把軟芝士和糖加進大碗中的香草種子；用手提打蛋噐拌勻後再加入 450 ml 的濃忌
      廉和烈酒，一起打發至忌廉混合料起軟角便成。

2.  Then poach the pears.  Peel, quarter and core the pears, then cut into 1 cm dice.  Dissolve the sugar in
      the water in a small saucepan over a low heat.  Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds into a
      large bowl; set aside for later.  Add the diced pears and poach gently for about 3 minutes.  Drain and
      leave tom cool.

3.  To do the filling. Add the cream cheese and sugar to the vanilla seeds.  Using a hand whisk, beat the
     mixture until well blended.  Add 450ml of the cream and the liqueur and whisk to soft peaks.

4.   把碎意大利杏仁餅和梨塊拌進忌亷芝岡餡內拌勻，餅底從冰箱取出，將餡料鋪上抹平。

      置冰箱內冷藏至少30 分鐘，取出把餘下的 100 ml 忌亷用湯匙塗上薄層，放回冰箱冷藏 2 

      小 時或過夜也可。

5.   接著做裝飾。黑和牛奶巧克力分開做。巧克力置耐熱大碗內，在盛沸水的小煲內溶化。

      均勻塗抹在一個反轉和乾淨的糕盤上，待適當凝化後便可用鏟子或菜刀背用 45˚ 輕輕推捲
      成巧克力卷。(也有很多專業廚師說用 25˚ 的 , 請自己試試 , 看那一角度更適合你。)

4.   Fold in the crushed amaretti biscuits and poached pears. Spoon the filling on top of the biscuit

      base and level the surface, chill for at least 30 minutes. Spread over the remaining cream to form a thin
      layer. then chill again for 2 hours, can even leave it over night.

5.  For the decoration, melt the dark and milk chocolate separately.  Place them in a heatproof bowl over a

     pan of hot water, then spread in an even layer on the underside of a clean baking sheet.  Leave until just
     set, then use a clean scraper or the end of a flat cleaver, to gently push the chocolate in an 45˚ to roll the
     curls. ( Many professional chefs suggested using 25˚ , please experiment with different angles to find one
     that's more effective for yourself. )

6.   取出芝士蛋糕將長刀在熱水中浸熱後沿糕盤邊劃一圈，然後解開彈盤。用薄長刀小心從底

      部把芝士蛋糕 盛起，放在上桌的糕碟上。把巧克力卷裝飾地放上，灑下糖霜粉便可切塊享
      用。

     

     這甜品可存於冰箱內一、兩天也可以。

6.   To unmould the cheesecake, run a hot thin-bladed knife around the edge and remove the side of the tin.

      Slide a palette knife under the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate.  Arrange the chocolate curls
      decoratively on top, then dust with icing sugar.  Cut into slices to serve.

      This dessert will keep in the fridge for a day or two.

小小提示：

• 除了脫模時用浸了熱水抹乾的利刀沿邊劃一圈之外，切蛋糕時的刀是不須先浸熱水的，以免熱力把切開蛋糕的切面溶了一點。不過刀仍要利，才可直切斷餅底 。
• 捲朱古力不難的，只要不攤開太薄，別凝結太久( 通常只須 10 - 15 分鐘 )。可放進雪櫃數分鐘幫助冷凝，但要常常檢查 ( 一、二 分鐘可以有很大變化 )  -- 用手指按下朱古力面時不留下指模便成了。在角落旁捲小小作試驗，如太軟可再待一小會兒，太硬太脆捲不起來的話則要把全部巧克力鏟起回碗中熱溶，再攤開、冷凝，然後再捲。
  
  

Helpful Tips:

• You only have to run a hot knife around the edge to unmould the cheesecake. When cutting slices from the cake itself, your knife needs only to be sharp but not hot, just in case a hot knife would melt the sides and the edges of the sliced cake.
• It's not difficult to make chocolate curls; just don't spread it out too thin, and making sure the setting time is right. (Usually only takes 10 to 15 minutes). You can put it in the fridge to help speed it up a little, but check constantly; test it with your finger, if when pressed down it doesn't show your fingerprint, it's ready to roll. If the chocolate doesn't curl, but breaks, then it has set too solid.  Scrape it off and melt it again.

每一口都包含香柔的芝士，夾雜著酥脆的杏仁餅碎和軟甜的梨塊。吃下去口感的輕盈，跟平常吃的芝士蛋糕很不同。

Every mouthful of this cheesecake is soft and delicate.  With the sweet pear and the crunchy amaretto biscuits sandwiched in the middle, the texture is very different to what you normally experience with other cheesecakes.