Chocolate Honeycomb Cheesecake

Chocolate Honeycomb Cheesecake

This recipe is a quick version of a burnt Basque cheesecake which one sees in almost every market on the French coastal region. The top of the cheesecake is supposed to be completely black, hence the name!

750g cream cheese, at room temperature
250g caster sugar
5 eggs
100g chocolate (honeycomb flavour), chopped
375ml cream
30ml cocoa powder, sifted
5ml vanilla
a pinch of salt
honeycomb or honeycomb chocolate (Crunchie), broken into pieces
60g chocolate (honeycomb flavour), melted

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a 22cm loose bottom cake tin with aluminium foil – this will prevent the cheesecake batter from leaking. Line the “foiled” cake tin with baking paper.
Add the cream cheese and caster sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth and forms soft peaks.
Turn the mixer to a low-medium speed and add the eggs one at a time.
Add the chocolate and cream to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted.
Take the bowl from the heat and add the cocoa powder, vanilla an a pinch of salt. Stir through.
Turn the mixer onto a low speed and pour in the chocolate mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 60 minutes.
DO NOT PANIC WHEN YOU SMELL THE CHEESECAKE BURNING!!
Remove the cake from the oven and cool it completely. The cheesecake will have a wobbly centre when removed from the oven.
Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Place the cheesecake on a serving plate.
Pour over the melted chocolate and scatter the broken honeycomb.

Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake

Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake

Base:
160ml peanut butter
60ml golden syrup
160ml desiccated coconut

Filling:
200g chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
500g tofu, room temperature
160ml brown sugar
30ml cocoa powder, sifted
22,5ml cornstarch

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
Add the peanut butter, syrup and coconut to a mixing bowl and stir together.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and press evenly over the base of the tin.
Place the cake tin in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt.
Remove from the heat once it is smooth and put to the side to cool slightly.
Add the tofu, brown sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and melted chocolate to the bowl of a food processor.
Blitz together until smooth – scrape the mixture down once or twice.
Pour the tofu mixture over the base and bake for 30 minutes, until set.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool for 1 hour.
Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

Bacon Cheesecake

Bacon Cheesecake

Please give this savoury cheesecake a try: it is magnificent!

125g salted biscuits
80g butter, melted
250g bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
500g ricotta cheese
500g cream cheese, room temperature
250ml parmesan/pecorino cheese, grated
4 eggs

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line the sides only, of a 22cm loose-bottom cake pan with baking paper.
Add the biscuits to the bowl of a food processor and drizzle in the melted butter, with the engine running.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared cake pan and press it evenly on the bottom. Place in the refrigerator.
Put a frying pan on medium heat and add about 5ml vegetable oil to it. Add the bacon and onion to the pan and cook until done.
Take the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
Add the ricotta, cream cheese, grated parmesan and eggs to the bowl of a food processor and process until you have a smooth mixture.
Pour this mixture over the cooled bacon and onion and stir to combine.
Spoon into the prepared base and bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes.
Serve at room temperature with balsamic roasted beetroot (recipe on this site) and roasted onions.



Quick-Bake Cheesecake

Quick-Bake Cheesecake

This is a small cheesecake that serves about 8 people with a taste-size portion which makes it ideal to serve with tea. It goes against cheesecake rules as it is baked in quite a hot oven and not in a baine Marie, has no eggs in it and is sweetened with condensed milk.

200g digestive biscuits
80g butter, melted
250g cream cheese, room temperature
1 x 385g can of condensed milk
125ml lemon juice
fresh fruit to serve

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 25cm x 11cm x 7cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the digestive biscuits and butter to the bowl of a food processor and process until you have a texture that resembles wet sand.
Line the baking tin with the mixture, covering the bottom and sides evenly. Put aside.
Add the cream cheese and condensed milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Set the mixer on high speed and mix until the cream cheese is smooth – scrape the bowl down once or twice.
Now set the mixer on a low speed and drizzle in the lemon juice. Mix until fully incorporated and you have a smooth mixture.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30 minutes.
Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside until it has cooled completely.
Place the cheesecake on a serving dish and arrange fresh fruit on top before serving.

Broken Glass Slices

Broken Glass Slices

An old classic for jelly lovers and perfect to enjoy at a pool party!

4 x 85g packets powdered jelly, 4 different colours/flavours
225g digestive biscuits
125g butter, melted
125ml boiling water
20ml powdered gelatine
500g cream cheese
200ml condensed milk

Dissolve each colour jelly in 200ml boiling water and pour into individual/separate containers. (Lunch boxes work well). Set in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
Cut the jelly into cubes and set aside.
Spray a 23cm x 23cm x 5cm baking tin/container with cooking spray.
Break up the biscuits and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Blitz until it resembles fine sand.
Melt the butter and add it to the biscuits with the engine running.
Transfer to the prepared baking tin and press firmly into the tin base in an even layer. Chill in the refrigerator.
Pour the boiling water in a mixing bowl and add the gelatine. Stir until the gelatine has completely dissolved and set aside to cool.
Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until smooth.
Scrape down, add the condensed milk and mix for a minute or so.
Add the cooled gelatine mixture and blend well.
Now take the bowl from the mixer and add the jelly cubes. Gently fold everything together.
Scrape the mixture over the biscuit base and press it into the corner of the baking tin. Flatten the surface by gently pressing down on the mixture with a spatula.
Cover the tin with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Slice the tart with a clean sharp knife and serve.

3-Ingredient Chocolate Cheesecake

3-Ingredient Chocolate Cheesecake

You will keep this recipe as a quick and delicious go-to whenever you are in need of a dessert, something sweet or a treat. The taste is dramatically altered by the chocolate of your choice … choose wisely!!

200g full fat cream cheese
200g chocolate, chopped finely
5 eggs, separated

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and line a 18cm cake tin with baking paper. Cover the bottom and about half way up, of the cake tin with tin foil and place the tin in a roasting dish. Put aside.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water.
Stir until completely melted and remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly.
Add the cream cheese and egg yolks to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric beater.
Drizzle in the cooled chocolate and mix until blended.
Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks.
Stir about a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.
Add the rest of the whites and gently fold through until no trace of white is visible.
Gently scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with a spatula.
Now pour very hot water from the TAP into the roasting tray so that the water reaches about 3cm.
Place the cake in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 160℃ and bake for another 15 minutes.
Turn the oven off and leave the cake inside for another 30 minutes before removing it from the baking tin.
Serve the cheesecake slightly warm with a chocolate sauce.

Chocolate-Brownie Cheesecake

Chocolate-Brownie Cheesecake

The best of two worlds!! A delicious chocolatey brownie base with a velvet baked cheesecake topping!

For the brownie base:
115g butter
115g dark chocolate, chopped
200g caster sugar
2 eggs
50ml milk
115g flour

For the cheesecake topping:
500g cream cheese, room temperature
125g caster sugar
3 eggs
5ml vanilla
125ml Greek yoghurt

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and grease a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin.
Add the butter and chopped chocolate to a heatproof mixing bowl and place it over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir every now and then until melted.
Remove the bowl from the head and add the sugar. Whisk until the ingredients are amalgamated.
Add the eggs and milk and whisk to mix.
Add the flour and stir through until the mixture is just blended.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and even it out with a spatula.
Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove and set aside.
Lower the oven temperature to 160℃.
Add the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat together on high speed until you have a smooth mixture. Scrape the bowl down once or twice in between mixing.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the yoghurt. Stir the yoghurt through the cheesecake mixture.
Pour the mixture onto the baked brownie base.
Place in the oven and bake for 55 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Run a knife around the edge of the cake before removing the sides of the cake tin.
Cut into slices and drizzle with melted chocolate to serve.