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CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

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Makes: 10-12 slices

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  • Nigella Recipe
  • Vegetarian

In the past, I've been apologetic about adulterating your basic cheescake, but I've moved on. This is exceptional: exactly the right balance between satiny sweetness and smooth tang. Regard the glaze as optional: it makes it into more of a dinner party thang, but there is no call to get busy if you'd rather not. A few raspberries alongside would be heavenly, but again, no need to bother adding a single thing.

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Ingredients

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for the base

  • 125 grams digestive biscuits
  • 60 grams butter
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

for the filling

  • 175 grams dark chocolate (chopped small)
  • 500 grams cream cheese
  • 150 grams caster sugar
  • 1 tablespoon custard powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 150 ml sour cream (or just use a 142ml pot)
  • ½ teaspoon cocoa powder (dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water)

for the glaze (optional)

  • 75 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 125 ml double cream
  • 1 teaspoon golden syrup
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Method

  1. To make the base, process the biscuits to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa.
  2. Process again until it makes damp,clumping crumbs and then tip them into a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin. Press the biscuit crumbs into the bottom of the tin to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.
  3. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180ºC/350ºF. Put a kettle on to boil. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Beat the cream cheese to soften it, and then add the sugar and custard powder, 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 the melted chocolate, and mix to a smooth batter.
  5. Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of clingfilm, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.
  6. 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 halfway up the cake tin, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.
  7. Peel away the foil and clingfilm wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the fridge once it's no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with clingfilm, overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.
  8. To make the chocolate glaze, 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 then Jackson Pollock it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate. Use the remaining glaze as an accompanying sauce.

Additional information - if using another brand of cream cheese make sure it is suitable for vegetarians.

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  • i love this i use white chock rather than dark and i divide the mix in 1/2 and colour 1 green and the other red then swirl them together for Christmas its a hit with every one every time xx

    Posted by tksn on 28th Jun 2011 at 4.01

  • i really love this recipe, because its just so easy to make xx

    Posted by Maleeha on 12th Aug 2011 at 18.53

  • This cheese cake is fantastic. I made this last week for a family dinner and seeming I had not made a cheese cake before was quite worried. There was no need to be as the recipe was so easy to follow and it tasted amazing :)

    Posted by Claire7188 on 15th Oct 2012 at 18.17

  • i have made it several times, really soooo yummy and smooth, thx nigella 4 ur best recipes.

    Posted by Dima_88 on 4th Jan 2013 at 16.53