The wonderful combination of chocolate and chilli is perfectly illustrated in this great tasting baked cheesecake. It does take quite a bit of preparation in that it is first baked and then needs to to cool to set, but the results will make it all the effort worthwhile. Fantastic served either as a dessert or with good coffee
Ingredients
Base
Digestive biscuits – 125 grams
Butter - 4 tablespoons
Cocoa powder - 1 tablespoon
Chilli flakes - ½ teaspoon (Use mild chilli flakes like Aleppo or Kashmiri)
Filling
Cream Cheese – 500 grams
Caster sugar – 150 grams
Custard powder - tablespoon
Red Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon ( or more – according to heat tolerance)
Eggs – 3 large
Dark chocolate - 175 grams (broken into small pieces)
Egg yolks – 3 large
Double cream – 150ml
Cocoa powder - ½ teaspoon
Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
Instructions
For the base
Place the digestive biscuits and chilli flakes into a food processor and blitz until you have achieved a fine crumb
In a mixing bowl, combine crumbed biscuits, butter and cocoa powder
Using wet hands press the crumb base into a round pie dish (approx 250mm). The base should be even in thickness and cover the bottom and the sides of the dish
Place in the refrigerator
For the filling
Melt the chocolate in a microwave (or double boiler if preferred). Allow to cool whilst performing the following steps:
Combine the cocoa and chilli powders together (in a jug) and add two tablespoons of hot water. Mix well into a paste
Soften cream cheese in a food processor and then add sugar and custard powder. Mix well
Mixing slowly add eggs, then egg yolks and cream. Finally add cooled chocolate, chocolate/ chilli paste and lemon juice
Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
Remove the base from the refrigerator
Spoon the chocolate/ chilli filling into the pie dish
Bake in a pre-warmed oven at 160 degrees Celsius (standard oven) for 45 – 60 minutes until filling has set. (For a fan / convection oven bake at 140 degrees Celsius)
Once baked, allow to cool and then place in the refrigerator covered with cling film for at least 8 hours. This will allow the filling to set.