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:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the base, process the graham crackers to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.
• Put a kettle on to boil.
• Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.
• Beat the cream cheese to soften it, then add the sugar and custard power, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and melted chocolate and mix to a smooth batter.
• Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of cling wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.
• Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just boiled water to come about half way up the cake tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.
• Peel away the foil and cling film wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the refrigerator once it is no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with plastic overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.
• To make the chocolate sauce: very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and pour it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate.

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.