Monday, April 8, 2013

Caramel and Chocolate Cheesecake


Ingredients

  • 225 g caster sugar
  • 750 g philadelphia cream cheese
  • 3 tblsp cornflour
  • 1 vanilla pod (split with seeds removed)
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 100 ml double cream
  • 4 very ripe bananas
  • 1 tin caramel condensed milk
For the biscuit base:
  • 250 g digestive biscuits
  • 150 g unsalted butter
  • for the chocolate sauce:
  • 200 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa )
  • 80 g sugar
  • 3 floz water

Method

For the Biscuit Base:
  1. To make the base place the crushed biscuits in a bowl and drizzle with the melted butter, mix thoroughly and place in a lined 9-inch tin (not a springform tin). Press the mixture down evenly in the tin and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
For the Filling:
  1. Preheat oven to 150ºC. Place the condensed milk in a pot of simmering water for 90 minutes and remove and leave to cool.
  2. Whisk the sugar and cream cheese, cornflour and vanilla seeds until smooth. Beat in the eggs and add the cream. Mash the bananas into a purée and add to the cream cheese mixture along with half of the tinned caramel.
  3. Pour half the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base. Then drop the remaining caramel over the cheese mixture and pour the remaining cheesecake mixture on top.
  4. Place the cheesecake tin in a deep tray with some warm water and bake in the pre-heated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the cake is set and is springy to the touch. Then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool inside for at least 30 minutes. Then transfer it to the fridge to chill before serving.
For the Chocolate Sauce:
  1. In a pot, bring the sugar and water to the gentle boil. Place the chocolate in a bowl and the sugar syrup over it. Continue stirring until the chocolate is melted.
  2. To Serve:
  3. Use a knife to loosen the cheesecake and remove it from the tin. Cut it into slices and place a slice on a serving dish and drizzle with some warm chocolate sauce.