This is a modern classic. It’s mega-tasty and gorgeously dense without being heavy; in fact the texture is sublime. Actually, that description fits the whole cheesecake. And did I forget the base? Certainly not. Think chocolate, think biscuit, think crunchy. You’ve got the idea. It’s great.
Serves: 12 – 15 (or more likely 10, as they’ll all want a big piece.)
Time: About 1 hour 40 min + cooling
Difficulty: Moderate
Equipment: A 23cm/9” loose bottomed tin with deep sides – 6.5cm/2½”
FOR THE BASE
- 425g/15oz bourbon biscuits, crushed
- 60g/2oz ground almonds
- 125g/4.5oz unsalted butter
OR - 325g/11oz digestives, crushed
- 100g/3.5oz dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 60/2oz ground almonds
- 125g/4.5oz unsalted butter
NB These amounts will provide quite a thick base. Reduce the amounts by about 15% if you prefer a thinner base.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 600g/21oz – 700g/25oz full fat cream cheese
- 450g/16oz – 500g/18oz ricotta
- 275g/9.5oz – 300g/10oz caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 – 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 – 3 tsp cornflour
- 1 Tbsp milk
- Any chosen fruit to decorate plus a dusting of icing sugar
OR - 50g/1.75oz – 60g/2oz granulated sugar to brulee the cheesecake
Directions
- Line the base of the tin with baking parchment.
- Whizz the chosen biscuits in a food processor until crumb-like. (or place in a bag and bash with a rolling pin). Pour into a large bowl and mix in the almonds.
- Melt the butter and pour over the bourbon biscuits then mix together. (If using digestives, add the chopped chocolate to melt with the butter, then use that to combine the biscuits.)
- Empty the biscuit/butter mixture into the tin and press into the base and around the sides. Use the back of a spoon or a plastic dough scraper. Place in fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/325F/Gas 3.
- To make the filling, pulse or beat the cream cheese, ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another minute or two.
- Mix the cornflour with the milk so there are no lumps then add this into the main mixture and mix further.
- Spoon or pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top if necessary. (It may be quite runny, so placing a baking sheet at the bottom of your oven would be a good idea.)
- Bake for around 75 minutes. Check after 70; it needs to be set around the edges, possibly pulling away from the tin, but still a little wobbly in the middle. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake with the door slightly open until the cheesecake is cool.
- Once the cheesecake reaches room temperature place it in the fridge for 2 – 3 hours. Then take it out of the fridge and carefully remove from the tin and transfer to a plate or cake stand.
- You could leave the cheesecake as it is to serve or a) sprinkle with sugar and use a cook’s blowtorch to brulee it prior to serving, or b) add chosen fruit or fruits + a dusting of icing sugar
I hope you enjoy this cheesecake. If you want to see more cheesecake recipes click here.
Two of my favourites that I’d love you to try are my Chocolate and Orange Cheesecake and my White Chocolate and Blueberry Cheesecake.
Please have a look at my site for lots of other recipes, sweet and savoury. If you’d like to comment or ask a question, that’s great. Just go to the contact page.
Retired Bloke on Food n stuff 