Chocolate Expresso Cheesecake

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Having a BBQ tonight with friends so have made a cheesecake for dessert. Have made it many times and we love it because it's chocolate, but also has a hint of coffee in it.
 It's an American recipe which I've changed from cups, so there are some odd sounding amounts! I use ordinary digestive biscuits with cocoa powder to get the chocolate base, as I find this works better than using chocolate biscuits; I think it gives a better chocolate taste.

 You need a 23cm springform tin.  Preheat oven 160C/gas3

 Put 125g digestive biscuits in a processor and blitz till crumbs. Add 60g butter and 1 tbspn cocoa and blitz again till the mixture clumps together. Press this into the cake tin and put in the fridge.

 Whisk 140g caster sugar and 1 tbspn of expresso powder [or a good instant powder] together in a little bowl.

 Melt 350g dark chocolate [or a mixture of dark and milk] over simmering water or in the microwave. Keep this fluid but not hot.

 On a low speed on a mixer or a handheld mixer beat 4 packs of Philadelphia or other cream cheese [at room temperature, so take out of the fridge beforehand] till smooth.

 Gradually add the melted chocolate till it's all mixed in. Add the sugar and coffee mixture and 3 tbspn of double cream. Beat together, then add 3 large eggs [room temperature] one at a time and beat in on a low speed and finally add 1 tspn vanilla extract.

 Pour into the tin and bake for 40-50 mins .Take it out when the top looks slightly dry, but there's still a wobble in the middle. Don't overbake it.

 Cool in the tin then put in fridge overnight or for a couple of hour, before sliding a spatula round the inside of the tin before undoing the side.

 I decorated the top with some chocolate curls I made from milk chocolate using my potato peeler. The curls are quite fragile, so use a spatula or suchlike to lift them onto the cheesecake.




A rich creamy chocolate cheesecake with a hint of coffee. I like the creamy texture and the contrast with the crunchy base. I hope my friends will enjoy it.














Comments

Suelle said…
Lucky friends - this sounds delicious!
28/6/15 1:40 am
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