ELIZABETH MEATYARD

Chocolate and Ginger Mascarpone Cheesecake

This is an adaptation of an old Delia ‘you know who’ favourite. I hope you like it.

YOU WILL NEED

For the Base

55g sweet oat biscuits crushed

55g ginger biscuits crushed

25g butter  melted

5og chopped toasted hazelnuts

 

The filling

1x 250g tub mascarpone

1x 200g tub fromage frais

100g good dark chocolate (75% cocoa solids)

2 large eggs

40g caster sugar

50g raisins

1 small pot creme fraiche

3 balls of stem ginger in syrup chopped.

 

For the chocolate curls to decorate

100g dark chocolate(75% cocoa solids)

 

You will also need an 18cm (7inch ) springform cake tin, sides lined with parchment paper

Preheat oven to 180 c

For the base simply combine the crushed biscuits with the hazlenuts and mix with the melted butter. Pack the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for about 15 mins to form a crust. ( do watch that this does not burn.)Remove and whilst cooling prepare the filling.

The oven temperature should be reduced to 150c. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering hot water.Whisk together the mascarpone and fromage frais until smooth , and then whisk in the eggs and sugar. Now add the melted chocolate and fold in. finally mix in the raisins.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin over the biscuit crust and place in the centre of the oven for about 1hour. Then turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake in the oven until it is cold( this should prevent the cake cracking)

 

For the chocolate curls

Melt the chocolate as  before and pour onto a large flat surface to about 5mm thick. Put the plate in the fridge for about 45 mins to set.

When you remove from the fridge use  a sharp knife and carefully, pull it across the chocolate towards you to form curls or at least reasonable shavings.

To serve the cheesecake remove from the tin . Mix the stem ginger with the pot of crème fraiche and pile it on to the cake  , sprinkle with the chocolate curls , and indulge!!

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When she’s not writing, Elizabeth runs The Cooking Company, based in Surrey. Visit http://www.thecookingcompany.co.uk/

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