Sunday 31 March 2013

Easter cheesecake


 


I know Easter time is associated with many flavours in baking – spices, almonds, dried fruit etc as illustrated by Mr CC’s fine hot cross buns...but let’s be honest, the dominant flavour for most of us at this time of year is chocolate.




The cheesecake recipe comes from the latest in the series of “30 best loved recipes” books, which features Bahlsen Choco Leibniz biscuits.  It intrigued me because the cheesecake topping is so simple: just cream cheese, sugar and chocolate.  Normally with non-bake cheesecakes there’s some cream in there too.  The absence of cream made this a rich, dense almost truffle-y cheesecake.






As this was my celebration easter Sunday bake I jazzed up the cheesecake with mini chocolate eggs and fluffy chicks.  This type of fluffy chick has been around all my life and – every year – I buy at least one box...and then only use about three of the chicks.  I put the rest in a drawer or cupboard safe for next year, by which time I have forgotten where I put them and buy another box.  I suspect I have most of the world’s production of small fluffy easter chicks stashed in my kitchen cupboards; they are a veritable battery farm of easter chicks.




Using chocolate biscuits for the base meant that the base felt and tasted far more integrated into the cheesecake.  I liked the extra hit of chocolate; the only downside was that the base was less solid than a normal cheesecake base.  It was more delicious but difficult to cut and plate nicely...there is always a price to pay in life, or as Curiosity Killed The Cat sung so profoundly: there’s a bind for every kind.




Happy easter everyone!





Ingredients

For the cheesecake base:
4 125g packets of Bahlsen Choco Leibniz biscuits – I used a mix of milk and dark
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the cheesecake topping:
300g chocolate – I used a mix of milk and dark
700g Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
100g icing sugar

For the ganache nests:
300ml double cream
200g chocolate – I used a mix of milk and dark

To decorate: easter chicks and mini eggs!


Method

Start with the cheesecake base:  Place a 21cm ring on the plate you wish to serve the cheesecake from.  An adjustable dessert ring is perfect but a springform tin with the base removed will also work.  I like to line the ring with baking paper to ensure I can de-tin it easily.

Start by making the base: blitz the biscuits in a food processor until you have crumbs.  It will look like you have too much but it presses down pretty firm.

Blitz in the butter – no need to melt it if you’re doing it in the food processor.  If your crushing the biscuits by hand i.e with the bag and rolling pin method, it’s easier to melt the butter.

Press the crumbs onto the plate ensuring that you have an even layer pushed right up to the edge of the mould.

Refrigerate while you make the topping.

Melt the chocolate – I favour short bursts in the microwave, stir, another short burst until the chocolate is melted but if you prefer melting in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water that’s fine!

Let the chocolate cool for about five minutes.

In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese and icing sugar.

Gradually beat in the melted and cooled chocolate until evenly incorporated into the mix.

Spread the topping over the chilled biscuit base and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Now make the ganache: heat the cream in a pan until just starting to bubble.

Remove from the heat and break the chocolate into squares and drop into the cream.

Leave to stand for a couple of minutes before stirring. 

Keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted and is incorporated.

Leave to cool (refrigerate if you’re in a hurry) and then whisk to thicken – it needs quite a high speed to thicken it so best to use an electric whisk if you have one.  If it doesn’t thicken enough to pipe, spoon into the piping bag and pop back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

Pipe nest shapes on top of the cheesecake and put back in the fridge.

Remove from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving and decorate with the eggs and chicks.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.

24 comments:

Katie C said...

Oh my god that looks incredible, I feel like I've eaten a week's worth of chocolate just from looking at that photo.

Gloria Baker said...

look beautiful and sooo cute! I really love this cake is georgeous!!

Katie said...

Wow that looks fabulous and very decadent. Perfect for Easter with those cute little chicks too.

Debs Dust Bunny said...

Oh my gosh! That cheesecake is a stunner! It's a shame to cut it but I don't think I could resist it!

Happy Easter!

Unknown said...

But it looks so good. Gosh - CCKtC - I saw them at Leeds Poly when I was about 14. Swoons.

Susie @ Fold in the Flour said...

Oh wow! I love the idea of a truffly cheesecake. It looks so good with all that chocolate. Yum! :)

Caroline said...

Ooh, yum! That looks very decadent and delicious. I have to confess that Leibniz biscuits are some of my favourites! What fab decoration too.

Hello said...

I love this cake! I also associate Easter with chocolate and love how moist your cake is. x

Victory Rolls & Mixing Bowls said...

Love the swirls! The chicks are very cute too, I could happily go for a slice of this now :)

Nom!

Jo said...

Mmmmmm so much chocolatey goodness. Love the little swirly nests on top too, they look very cute with all the little eggs nestled inside.

Cakelaw said...

Yum - this looks scrumptious, and the chicks are so cute!

Tigger said...

This cake is absolutely amazing and looks so simple to make. Have just found Mr. C's blog so have posted a comment.

Maggie said...

I do like a fluffy Easter Chick and am definitely partial to a box or two myself. Lovely cheesecake - yum!

Cupcake Crazy Gem said...

Wow what a showstopper! I love those biscuits so am sure it would taste amazing....plus I love your ganache nests - so fun! and SO right for the chocoholic that I am! haha

Kezia said...

I am in awe of the cheesecakes you make, they look incredible! Hope you had a good Easter:)

shri said...

that looks lovely CC! wish I had a slice. quick question - is the cheese part of the cake better than the chocolate truffle cheesecake you made for christmas? cos I made that, and it was divine. Had to hide it and eat it secretly, so i didn't have to share :)

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Shri

I would say it was a bit richer and certainly much bigger, so perhaps the better option if you're entertaining a crowd!

Happy baking

shri said...

Thanks CC. Looks like I'm going to have to make it :)


Lucy said...

Wow this looks indulgent! Probably couldn't get much more chocolatey so perfect for Easter. Love the decadence of the super thick base too!

Kit @ i-lostinausten said...

WOW! This cheesecake looks divine & SOO inviting! Heavenly YUM! ;)

Choclette said...

Ooh, ooh, ooh - that looks scumdidliupmptious. Those little chicks look so cute and perky. I have one Easter chick I save year after year and he is looking very tired indeed. I have no idea where you buy new ones from - maybe I should just come and raid your cupboards.

xxsarahxx said...

I've failed to make this chocolate ganache all light and fluffy. not sure what i've done but it won't whip at all :(

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi xxsarahxx

Pop it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes and try whisking it again. It is probably because it's too warm.

Hope this helps

xxsarahxx said...

Many thanks cc....it did the trick. I had some left over in the fridge so decided to have a little whisk lol. Hey presto, it worked !!!! Still a little loose but i reckon if i whisked a little longer it would have thickened some more. Thanks for the tip xx will deffo be doing it again x