Mini Mushroom Cheesecake Calzone: Sweet Chanterelle Ravioli

Mini Mushroom Cheesecake Calzone in the oven

It's been a mixed week, here in Fife. We've had sun, rain and hail - sometimes all in one day. I have to say that whenever it rains, I just smile and think *that'll make the mushrooms grow*.

This week I found a new Chanterelle patch, less than 20mins walk from my front door. I revisited the patch yesterday and started thinking about what I could make with my haul.

In my last blog I mentioned my dislike for the texture of mushrooms, but I don't think that's the full story. I love finding and picking Chanterelles and my favourite thing about them is their sweet, fruity smell. I think I get confused when I then pair them with garlic, eggs, or other savoury flavours. I want to taste the fruitiness! So, here is my attempt to bring that flavour out:

Mini Mushroom Cheesecake Calzone

Candying Chanterelles with Long Pepper

Candied Chanterelles

Ingredients:

2 cups Chanterelles
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 Long Pepper (Long Pepper is spice which tastes like a blend of cinnamon and black pepper. Raw Chanterelles have a peppery taste, so I thought that Long Pepper would be the perfect accompanying flavour)

Method:

Dice Chanterelles and add all ingredients to a saucepan
Bring to the boil, turning the Chanterelles to ensure they are coated in the syrup
Reduce heat and simmer for 10mins
Leave to cool
Remove Chanterelles with a slotted spoon
Place in oven on lowest setting to dehydrate (I used my trusty dehydrator)
Reserve syrup for dough recipe

Sweet Pasta Dough

Sweet Pasta Dough

Ingredients:
300g 00 Flour
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
4 tbsp Chanterelle syrup

Method:
Place flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre
Add eggs, yolk and syrup and mix in flour gradually with a fork
Work together into a dough
Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for 10mins
Wrap in clingfilm and place in fridge for 30mins+
Roll out with pasta machine or rolling pin until translucent
Cut out circles (approx 3-4" in diameter)

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients:

400g soft cheese (I used Philadelphia, but I think that Mascarpone would be delicious here)
100g caster sugar
100ml double cream
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Candied Chanterelles

Method:

Whisk together the cheese, cream, sugar, lemon zest until thick and creamy.
Add candied Chanterelles and mix thoroughly.

Calzone

These are really sweet ravioli, but I love Calzone and that is what I was thinking of when I made this recipe. Sweet, sweet Calzone.

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C
Line baking trays with greaseproof paper
Place 1 tsp of filling onto each circle of dough
Fold in half to make little ravioli/calzone/pasties/parcels
Use a fork to seal the edges
Glaze with beaten egg
Place on trays, leaving at least 1" between each calzone
Bake one tray at a time, for 10 mins, or until golden brown
Allow to cool on a rack (again, I used my dehydrator - switched off)

Serve with fruit/cream of your choice.

I will be sampling these tonight and will post an update afterwards.

Calzone chilling

Bloomin' Cheesecake: Elderflower and Rose

I planned to make an elderflower and wild strawberry cheesecake, but the wild strawberries were not quite ripe, so I decided to try a rose petal topping, instead. The elderflower cordial and rose petal syrup (before you add the gelatine) can be made in advance, and can also be bought pre-prepared.

Elderflower

Rosa Rugosa

Wild/Dog Rose

Yesterday I posted on facebook that I would deliver said cheesecake to my friends. This was a rookie mistake, as I hadn't made the cheesecake at that point. The result was more of a soup than a cheesecake, so I tried again. This is the second result:

Elderflower & Wild Rose Cheesecake

Elderflower & Wild Rose Cheesecake

Base

225g oat biscuits - I used Hobnobs
100g butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons of sugar

Method:

Melt butter
Crush or blend biscuits
Mix together thoroughly
Spread firmly into base of a loose-bottomed cake tin
Place in fridge for 30mins-1hr, until set

Filling

400g cream cheese
4 Tablespoons of Elderflower Cordial

Method:

Beat or whisk together until you have a firm cream consistency.
Spread over the chilled base and smooth out with a spatula or knife.
Place in freezer for 2 hours then apply topping.

Topping

Rose syrup recipe adapted from Nithas Kitchen

1 1/2 cups of rose petals (I used mainly Wild Dog Rose, but added 4 Rosa Rugosa blooms to add a deeper flavour and colour)
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
3 sheets of Gelatine (I use 1 sheet per 100ml of liquid, but added extra here to ensure a firm topping)

Method:

Boil water and add petals, sugar, lemon juice and salt.
Continue to boil until liquid reduces to a light syrup consistency (about 1 cup)
Cut gelatine into small pieces and add 4 tablespoons of the syrup
Leave for 10mins
Heat gelatine/syrup mixture over a pan of hot water for 5mins
Mix gelatine with rest of syrup and allow to cool a little
Spoon topping over set cheesecake
Allow to set in fridge (approx 2 hours)
Eat.

Next week I'm heading up North for a bit of camping, so hope to be able to post a blog with some foraged, Highland ingredients. Until then, Happy Foraging! X