Recipe for Pimms, White Wine Sangria and Rocky Road Cheesecake

After my last post I had a few enquiries on the recipe for the cocktails and the Rocky Road Cheesecake. I thought I would share them here.

Recipe for White Wine Sangria.

We originally had this drink for the first time at Manly Wine and they were lovely enough to give us the recipe. It is now a fixture at most of our gatherings. It's so light and refreshing to drink.

Place 1 lemon cut into wedges, a handful of fresh mint leaves, 5 lychees (tinned is fine) 60ml Martini Bianco, 30ml Cointreau and 250ml Chardonnay into a jug. Stir vigorously. Top with ice and lemonade. 

We serve Sangria differently depending on the occasion.

If it is just a couple of friends over we will make up a jug and scoop out the lychees, lemon and mint into each glass as we pour it.

If we have a bigger crowd we will pop the drink into our larger mason jars.

This one from Kmart is our current favourite. (I sprayed the stand white)

To make up the quantities for the 3 litre jar add

180ml Cinzano Bianco

90ml Cointreau (or Triple Sec)

60mls of the lychee syrup from the can

750ml Chardonnay

Topped with lemonade (approx 2 litres)

Add 4 lemon wedges, 4 lychees, 10 torn mint leaves

We also keep little bowls of lemon, lychees and mint nearby so each person can add 1 of each to their glass before pouring in the Sangria. This frees you up as the host as people can help themselves to drinks while you get the food ready etc.

Recipe for Pimms

1 part Pimms

3 parts Schweppes Lemonade

Orange, strawberries, mint (cucumber is a traditional addition but I'm not a fan!)

If you don't like your drink too sweet. Add 1 part of Dry Ginger Ale and take away 1 part of lemonade. 

Same serving suggestions as above -

 If it is just a couple of friends over we will make up a jug and scoop out the mint, oranges and strawberries.

If we are serving from the big jars then little bowls of the fruit will be nearby.

Recipe for Rocky Road Cheesecake.

The first step is to make your Rocky Road. Everyone usually has their own favourite Rocky Road recipe so feel free to use your own if you like. Most recipes use nuts but I leave them out due to lots of people with nut allergies.

I use a Twix Rocky Road recipe. It adds a little extra texture.

Recipe for Twix Rocky Road

4 x 58g Twix chocolate bars chopped

1 cup of rice bubbles

150g marshmallows chopped

400g milk chocolate chopped

40g copha chopped

(1 cup of unsalted roasted peanuts if you like)

Line a rectangular baking tray with baking paper. Combine Twix bars, rice bubbles, marshmallows and peanuts in a bowl. Place chocolate and copha in a pan. Stir over a low heat until chocolate is melted. Cool slightly. Pour mixture over Twix mixture, mix well. Spoon onto prepared tray.  Refrigerate until set. Cut into small squares/pieces.

Recipe for Cheesecake

125g sweet chocolate biscuits

60g butter melted

625g cream cheese softened

395g can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

Preheat oven to moderately slow (160 - 140 (fan forced) degrees celsius)

Process the biscuits until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl, stir in butter. Press biscuit mixture over the base of a 23cm springform tin, refrigerate until firm.

Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth, then add the condensed milk and beat until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, until just combined.

Place tin on an oven tray, pour the cheesecake mixture into tin. Press half of the Rocky Road into the surface. Bake in moderately slow oven about 1 1/4 hours or until set. Cool in oven with door ajar.

Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. 

Decorate with the remaining Rocky Road and dust with icing sugar if desired.

What do you think? Tempted to give them a go?

They might come in handy if you are entertaining this long weekend.