It has been a very, very long time since I have baked, so I may as well get back into it full force and not let anything hold me back. Given my absolute passion for dark chocolate, I thought this would be a great recipe to try.
There are many ingredients one might not have easily to hand but once you get them, it´s a piece of cake.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
For the base:
1 cup plain chocolate biscuit crumbs
2 tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts
60g butter, melted
For the filling:
500g Philadelphia cheese, softened
170g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g dark chocolate, melted
80ml cream
2 tbsp brandy (optional)
50g toasted hazelnuts
2 x 425g cans pitted cherries in syrup, drained (syrup reserved)
double cream (to serve)
Cook Time: 45 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
For the base:
1 cup plain chocolate biscuit crumbs
2 tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts
60g butter, melted
For the filling:
500g Philadelphia cheese, softened
170g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
100g dark chocolate, melted
80ml cream
2 tbsp brandy (optional)
50g toasted hazelnuts
2 x 425g cans pitted cherries in syrup, drained (syrup reserved)
double cream (to serve)
1. Combine the biscuit crumbs, chopped hazelnuts and butter. Press into the base of a 20cm springform pan and chill.
2. With an electric mixer beat the Philadelphia cheese, caster sugar and butter until smooth.
Beat in the eggs one at a time until well combined. At a slow speed, beat in the chocolate, cream and brandy until smooth. Stir in the hazelnuts and half the drained cherries.
3. Pour onto the prepared base and bake at 150ºC for 45 minutes, until just wobbly in the centre.
Allow cooling, still in the oven with the door left ajar.
4. Simmer the reserved syrup in a saucepan until reduced by one third and slightly thickened. Serve the cheesecake with double cream, remaining cherries, syrup and some more chocolate, grated for decoration.