Chocolate cheesecake

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 200 g plain chocolate biscuits, crushed,

• 70 g salted butter melted,

• 500 g cream cheese,

• 90 g sugar,

• 2 eggs,

• 1 tbsp cocoa powder,

• 300 g sour cream,

• 250 g dark chocolate melted,

• 80 mL Bailey’s Irish Cream.

For the collar:

• 50 g white chocolate,

• 150 g dark chocolate melted.

• Cocoa and icing sugar to dust.

Preparation

Brush a round springform tin with melted butter and line the base and side with baking paper. Mix together the biscuit crumbs and butter, press firmly into the base of the tin and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to moderate 180ºC.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar with electric beater until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at the time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the cocoa and sour cream until smooth. Beat in the cooled dark chocolate. Beat in the liqueur and pour over the base. Smooth the surface and bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake may not be fully set, but will firm up. Refrigerate overnight if possible.

Remove the cheesecake from the tin and put it on a board. Measure the height and add 5 mm. Cut a strip of baking paper this wide and 75 cm long. Pipe or drizzle the melted white chocolate in patterns of your choice. When just set, spread the dark chocolate over the entire baking paper. Allow the chocolate to settle a little, but you need to be able to bend the paper without it cracking.

Wrap the paper around the cheesecake with the chocolate inside. Seal the ends and hold the paper in place until the chocolate is completely set. Peel away the paper. Dust with cocoa powder and icing sugar.