Super easy and low-ingredient chocolate cheesecake recipe - extensively tested and produces a fabulously rich, dark cheesecake. If opting for a firmer, darker cheesecake, up the chocolate content to 600g (and you can even use darker chocolates, too!) Serves 6-12.
Ingredients
Biscuit Base
- 150g digestive biscuits (~10)
- 25-50g butter
- 1tbsp caster sugar (optional)
Cheesecake mixture
- 300-600g dark chocolate (at least 50% cocoa powder)
- 600g full fat cream cheese (note: does not have to be Philadelphia)
- 20-30ml milk (semi-skimmed, optional)
Method
Base
- Line a springform tin with baking paper.
- Blitz/crush the digestive biscuits, in a food processor or otherwise.
- Melt the butter e.g. in a microwave. Do not overheat it.
- Mix the digestive biscuits and the butter (in the springform tin or otherwise) and press flat with a spoon.
- Chill the base in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Cheesecake mixture
- Prepare a pot of hot water and set a heat-resistant bowl in it, making sure the bowl does not make contact with the water (double-boiling). Set the heat to a medium heat initially.
- Once boiling, decrease the heat to a low heat, and break the chocolate into small pieces and melt in the bowl.
- By hand, mix in the cream cheese, milk, and any optional ingredients (e.g. Cointreau and orange zest for a slightly alcoholic chocolate orange cheesecake).
- This mixture may initially turn a lighter brown and create a swirling pattern (especially if a lower chocolate content is chosen), but this will turn to a smooth dark chocolate colour once this has been stirred by hand sufficiently. These results do not appear if mixed by machine.
- Pour this mitxure into the biscuit base, levelling it out with a spoon.
- Freeze until set (around two hours) then refrigerate. Alternately, refrigerate for several hours (6h-overnight).
- Remove from tin and leave at room temperature for around 10 minutes before serving.
Storage instructions
Stores in the fridge for around a few days - do not prepare too long in advance. Do not leave unrefrigerated for extended periods of time.