East End "cheesecakes"

[susanfrombarking]

I am looking for a recipe for those little tarts you used to be able to buy from the bakeries in the eastend(you can still find the). We called them cheesecake, they were little tart shells with a yellowy almondy tasting filling and topped with coconut and icing sugar. why they were called cheesecakes I''ll never know. Anyone know what they are or even better have the recipe. Any Londoners out there?????

[Kitchen Witch]

LEMON MACAROON TARTLETS

* 2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 3/8 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 egg whites
* 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 24 mini muffin cups.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups coconut, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg whites; stir well. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared mini muffin cups, pressing mixture into bottom and up sides of muffin cups (use cooking spray on hands to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands).
3. Bake in the preheated 400 degree F (200 degrees C) oven until the edges are browned. Cool 2 minutes in the muffin tins on a wire rack. Remove from tins and cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Prepare lemon pudding mix according to package instructions. Spoon lemon mixture into each macaroon tartlet shell. Top with 2 teaspoons of whipped topping sprinkled with 1/2 teaspoon coconut.

[Kitchen Witch]

AMBROSIA CHEESECAKE


1 1/2 c Flaked coconut
1/4 c Chopped almonds
2 tb Butter or marg. -- melted
24 oz Cream cheese -- softened
1/2 c Sugar
1/4 c All-purpose flour
2 ts Grated orange peel
1 t Vanilla extract
1/2 c Apricot nectar
1/2 c Cream of coconut
4 Large eggs
8 oz Crushed pineapple, drained
Sliced assorted fruits*
2 ts Shortening -- melted
1/4 c Semisweet-chocolate pieces**
1/4 c White-chocolate pieces**

*Note: Suggested fruits: bananas, seedless green and
red grapes, kiwifruit, canned mandarin-orange slices,
strawberries, etc.) **Chocolate pieces should be
melted. 1. Day before serving: Preheat oven to 350
degrees. In medium bowl, combine coconut, almonds and
butter; mix well. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch
springform pan. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Cool. 2. In large bowl of electric mixer, at high
speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, orange peel
and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in apricot nectar and
cream of coconut. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until
blended. Stir in pineapple; pour into prepared crust.
Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until set. Cool in pan
on wire rack; refrigerate overnight. 3. Just before
serving, arrange fruit over top of cake. Stir one
teaspoon melted shortening into each of melted
semisweet and white chocolates until blended. Place
each mixture in a separate small pastry bag fitted
with small plain tip; pipe over fruit.

[Kitchen Witch]

Lemon Almond Cheesecake w/Biscotti Crust

--- biscotti Crust: ---
2 lg almond biscotti, (3/4 c finely ground)
1/2 c unsalted butter -- at room temperature
1/4 c granulated sugar 1/2 c all-purpose flour
--- Lemon Almond Cheesecake Filling: ---
2 lbs cream cheese
1 c mascarpone cheese
1 1/2 c granulated sugar 2 lg eggs
2 1/2 tsps lemon zest -- finely chopped
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
--- Garnish: ---
1 c sliced almonds

Make the biscotti crust:

Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350¡F.

Place the biscotti in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal
chopping blade. Pulse the machine at 3 to 4 second intervals until the
biscotti are finely ground. Set aside.

In the 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer (such as Kitchen
Aid) using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on
medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and creamy. Add flour
and the biscotti crumbs to the creamed mixture and blend for 30 seconds,
until fully incorporated. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a
9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until it's golden brown,
approximately 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, place on a wire
rack and allow to cool completely.

Make the cheesecake:

In the 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer (such as Kitchen
Aid), using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed
until light and smooth. Add the mascarpone and sugar and continue to beat
on medium speed until well blended, approximately 2 minutes. Take care NOT
to "whip" much air into the cheese mixture (this will cause the cake to
fall when cooling). With the mixer on medium speed add the eggs one at a
time, scraping down the side of the bowl after each addition. Blend in the
lemon zest and lemon juice.

Pour the mixture on top of the cooled crust. Wrap the 9-inch springform
pan with aluminum covering the bottom and sides so no water might leak
through. Place the springform pan inside a metal roasting pan. Fill the
roasting pan with water, being careful not to splash any of the water into
the cheesecake mixture, until it comes approximately 1/4 of the way up the
side of the springform pan. Bake for approximately one hour, until the
cake has set and the top is golden brown.

Remove the cake from the oven and from the water bath. Place it on a wire
rack and allow to cool slightly. Refrigerate the cake until completely
cooled, 6 hours or overnight.

Garnish the cake:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350¡F.

Place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for
approximately 10 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Remove the nuts
from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Set aside.

Loosen the cake by running a knife between the cake and the side of the
pan. Remove the cake from the pan and press the sliced almonds around the
sides of the cake. Slice and serve.

[Kitchen Witch]

ALMOND TART WITH LEMON CURD
Yield: 8 Servings

ALMOND SHELL-----
1/4 c Finely chopped almonds
1 1/4 c Flour; sifted
1/2 c Sugar
1 ds Salt
1/2 c Butter; cut into 1/2" cubes
1 Egg
1 ts Vanilla

-LEMON CURD
10 Egg yolks
3/4 c Sugar (or more)
3/4 c Lemon juice
1/2 c Butter
Sweetened whipped cream
Fresh fruit

Mix almonds, flour, 1/2 cup sugar and salt in bowl. Rub butter
pieces, bit by bit, into flour. Stir in egg and vanilla to form ball.
Chill. Roll out onto 12-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Weight
down with beans placed on waxed paper. Bake at 350F until golden,
about 20 minutes. Cool.

To make filling, mix egg yolks, 3/4 to 1 cup sugar and lemon juice in
top of double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly over simmering water,
until mixture coats back of metal spoon. Do not allow to boil. Remove
from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup butter, bit by bit, until melted and
smooth.

Pour lemon curd into cooled tart shell. Chill until set. Remove sides
of pan. Garnish with whipped cream and fruit. Makes 1 (12-inch) tart