Espresso and chocolate baked cheesecake

ingredients

• Base

  • 125 gram digestive biscuits (about half a packet)
  • 125 gram gingernuts (about half a packet)
  • 3 tablespoon caster sugar
  • 110 gram unsalted butter, melted

• Filling

  • 100 millilitre cream
  • 150 gram dark chocolate, chopped
  • 3 teaspoon fine-ground espresso or instant coffee
  • 750 gram cream cheese
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 2 tablespoon cornflour
  • 150 gram sour cream
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 50 millilitre cream
  • pinch salt

method

• Base

  • 1

    Line the bottom of a round 23cm loose-bottom cake tin with baking paper.

  • 2

    For the base, crush the biscuits to a fine crumb in a food processor.

  • 3

    Add the sugar and butter to the biscuit crumbs, then mix thoroughly. Tip into the lined tin and press evenly into the base. Refrigerate and chill.

• Filling

  • 1

    Make an espresso/chocolate sauce by heating the cream in a small saucepan until it nearly comes to a boil.

  • 2

    Remove from heat, add the chocolate and cover with a tea towel. Leave for 10 minutes.

  • 3

    Whisk in the ground espresso to make a smooth sauce. Set aside, but keep warm.

  • 4

    Preheat oven to 150°C. In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, cornflour and sour cream until smooth. Add the vanilla, egg yolks, cream and salt. Blend until smooth.

  • 5

    In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold gently into the cream mixture.

  • 6

    Pour gently on top of the chilled base. Marble the top of the cheesecake with the espresso/chocolate sauce.

  • 7

    Using a teaspoon, take spoonfuls of the sauce and push it deep into the cheesecake topping.

  • 8

    With the handle end of the spoon, drag through the sauce to form a marbling effect, then repeat in whatever patterns take your fancy. Any leftover sauce can be used to serve.

  • 9

    Bake for 1½ hours until the top is golden brown and the centre is only slightly jiggly.

  • 10

    Turn the oven off, open the door a touch and leave cheesecake to stand in the oven for 2 hours. Take out and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.

  • 11

    To serve, run a knife around the edge of the tin before removing the ring, then transfer cheesecake from the baking paper to a serving plate or board.