[password] radioactiv?[position] 19 08.817S 178 33.218W?[weather] 5 to 10 knots (approx) sou? sou east, warm, turquoise lagoon waters, overcast with some blue sky?[speed] 0knts?[heading] Anchored?[status] Bula land lubbers! Yes? we are still in Fulaga and just anchored around the corner from our last YIT update.
Yesterday, after several days of prep (more on that shortly) Sasha attempted to make another pineapple and lime yoghurt-cheesecake, this time not baked, and whoa darn was it a goodie. It takes a bit of time because as you can imagine the usual main ingredient cream cheese is NO WHERE to be found here in Fulaga. I have promised Lisa (who we met with her hubby Dan on SV Meari last cruising season) and Roxy (from Team Skypond) the recipe, so instead of the first baked version I am going to give you all the second attempt no-bake recipe here, and then add it to facebook/instagram once we get some internet and can get a photo uploaded of it. She was a beaut!!

SV MOONFISH?S Pineapple & Lime Yo-Cheesecake

TOOLS YOU?LL NEED
1. Blender (we have a nutribullet on board, and LOVE it)
2. Non-stick 20cm cake tin with a spring base (sorry not sure what to call it, it?s a cake tin where you can release the sides, and the base separates from the sides, making it a hell of a lot easier to get the cheesecake out in one piece)
3. A level of boredom or should I say a desire so strong for cheesecake that it drives you to spend several days making enough yoghurt and letting it sit and drain for days. On a boat this requires significant refrigerator space management, as well as a keen eye in the morning to ensure said yoghurt is not eaten for breakfast by a hungry Mike. Rest assured many a conversation about the gratification of delayed gratification was had.

THE BASE
250g of your favourite plain biscuits (American?s, (Roxy that?s you) may want to use cookies instead, as I understand it a biscuit to you is more like a scone to us Kiwi?s. Don?t use scones haha!)
Note: Sasha used a packet of Griffin?s Krispie biscuits, they have toasted coconut in them, which offers an additional tropical note, perfect for this South Pacific inspired Yo-Cheesecake.
50g of good butter (do not use margarine. Margarine is horrible stuff, and not worthy of use - this is Sasha-law)

THE FILLING
1 litre of thick creamy greek yoghurt (with ALL OF THE WHEY drained out of it)
2 tsp?s of vanilla essence (use the real stuff here too, it?s just better)
Two thirds of the Pineapple and Lime drizzle topping (see below)
6 tsp?s of gelatine mixed up with 1 cup (250mls) of hot water and left to swell for 10 mins

THE DRIZZLE TOPPING
Half a cup of brown sugar (yes you can use white, we just don?t have white sugar on the boat, we never do, Sasha figures the less processed brown sugar is slightly better for you, but has not proof of this)
5 rings of canned pineapple (use fresh if you can get it, nice work if you can get it here in Fulaga!)
3 Tbsp?s of the pineapple juice
1 Tbsp of lime juice (also from a packet, but fresh is best!)
Note: We also have passionfruit pulp onboard for yoghurt and cocktails etc, this was a mighty fine addition to the topping as well, if you have it (see photos on instagram which include the passionfruit pulp)

PREPARATION OF THE CREAM CHEESE SUBSTITUTE
To make 1 litre of thick, creamy, luxurious GREEK yoghurt, there are several stages?

INGREDIENTS
1. 800ml water
2. 12 to 13 Tbsp?s of full fat, whole milk powder
3. 3-4 Tbsp?s whey liquid (from your last drained batch of yoghurt)

Step 1. In a saucepan mix up 800ml of water with 12 to 13 heaped Tbsp?s of good quality FULL FAT whole milk powder (I refuse to say the brand, but New Zealand ones are best).
Step 2. Heat the saucepan of milk until it is scalding hot - BUT DO NOT BOIL IT (this changes the proteins in the milk, or does something scientifically neat (see kids science is fun!) that means it?s one step closer to becoming thick creamy yoghurt)
Step 3. Let the milk cool, Sasha often pours the milk at this point into her Easiyo plastic jar, so the milk-skin that forms, is easier to deal with. Pouring the milk after that milk-skin sets is a little more difficult.
Step 4. Use your little finger to check the milk temperature, when it doesn?t sting your little finger anymore it?s ready for you to add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the whey liquid from your last batch of yoghurt. The milk should be lukewarm, the perfect temperature for the starter culture you are about to add to breed. You can also use a couple of tablespoons of fresh yoghurt, or you can use a store bought starter.
Step 5. Boil kettle, and while that is boiling, add the whey ?starter? into the lukewarm milk and stir gently, then pop the lid on the jar of milk and starter mixture. Note: Sasha actually pours 1 cup of milk out into a cup and adds the starter to that, then mixes, and pours that back into the rest of the jar. Something she read somewhere told her to do that.
Step 6. Now follow the usual easiyo process, pop the boiling water into the easiyo maker thermos thingy, put the jar in there, and leave it for at least 12 hours? yes it takes longer for a milk based yoghurt to set.
Step 7. Once set, set up a sieve, with a cheese cloth (or muslin cloth) laid inside over a bowl, and pour the yoghurt into the muslin cloth. Chuck this whole set up into the fridge, and leave for another 12 hours. The whey liquid will drip into the bowl, leaving thick, beautiful creamy yoghurt in the sieve.
Step 8. Repeat all of these steps to create enough yoghurt to make a nice high cheesecake.

METHOD TO MAKE THE YO-CHEESECAKE
1. Blend or grind up the biscuits, and chuck this powdered biscuit into the bottom of your cake tin
2. Pour in the melted butter, and mix. Then press down the mixture to make the base of the cheesecake
3. Chuck all the (thick as cream cheese) yoghurt into a large bowl, add the vanilla essence, and two thirds of the drizzle topping mix well
4. Add the prepared gelatine, and mix well again
5. Pour the yoghurt mixture over the base and gently drop the cake tin a few times to remove any bubbles
6. Chuck the tin in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or until set. You can tell when it?s set as the cheesecake will wiggle but not slop around
7. Run a knife around the edge of the tin and the set cheesecake, then release the spring tin side and hope like hell the cake stays in one piece.
8. Pour the left over drizzle topping over the top, and it?s really well and truly delicious to eat there and then!
9. But? if you want something reminiscent of the old school KFC passionfruit cheesecake, then spoon a few tablespoons of passionfruit pulp over the top and you have what quite possible is The Best Damn Yo-Cheesecake in the whole South Pacific.

Right, we?ll leave it there for this YIT update, as Sasha is in the middle of baking her first ever cornbread to go with some good ol? american style chili that will be tonight?s dinner, and she needs to check it?s not burning in the oven.

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