Belgian Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe 455

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan and line with parchment. In a double boiler melt the chocolate over low heat. Remove the pan of chocolate when it is nearly melted and continue stirring with a rubber spatula until entirely melted and smooth. Cool the chocolate to 90 degrees, stirring occasionally. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cheese at medium high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating for an additional 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is light, fluffy and smooth. It should be the consistency of sour cream and be free of lumps. In a small bowl whisk the eggs together. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the eggs, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing and add the remaining eggs. Mix well. Still on low speed, slowly pour the cooled chocolate in the center of the bowl. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand, scrape down the sides and, using a rubber spatula, fold in any white traces remaining. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Pour about ½ inch of steaming water onto the baking sheet to create a "bain-marie," or water bath. Bake for 55-65 minutes. The edges should pull away from the sides of the pan, and the top will appear dull. Let cool in the pan for 2-4 hours. Serve the cake at room temperature with whipped cream or pour chocolate ganache over the top.

Steps:

• Butter and line a 23cm springform cake tin. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to form fine crumbs, then add the butter and blitz again. Tip the biscuit mixture into the tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
• In separate bowls, melt the milk and dark chocolate over pans of gently simmering water. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each interval until melted. Set aside to cool.
• Use a hand whisk to mix the mascarpone, cream cheese, icing sugar, malted milk drink powder, hot chocolate powder and vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream, then fold into the mascarpone mixture. Add half the mixture to each of the chocolate bowls, stirring until well combined. Stir half the chopped Maltesers, whole Maltesers and buttons into the milk chocolate mixture; stir the rest into the dark chocolate mixture.
• Spoon the dark chocolate mixture onto the biscuit base. Top with the milk chocolate mixture and smooth over the top. Chill overnight. Decorate with Maltesers before serving.

Steps:

• To make the biscuit base, crush the digestive biscuits with a rolling pin or blitz in a food processor, then tip into a bowl with the sugar and butter and stir to combine. Butter and line an 18cm springform tin and tip in the biscuit mixture, pushing it down with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
• To make the cheesecake, melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, then leave to cool slightly. Whip the cream in a large bowl using an electric whisk until soft peaks form, then fold in the cocoa powder. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together, then fold in the cream mixture and the cooled chocolate.
• Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base, levelling it out with the back of a spoon. Transfer to the freezer and freeze for 2 hrs, or until set. Remove from the tin and leave at room temperature to soften for about 20 mins before serving.