Chocolate mint cheesecake
This dark chocolate and peppermint cheesecake recipe is to die for – mint and dark chocolate is already a match made in heaven, but add in the silky richness of cream cheese and it takes everything to a whole new level. If you don’t have tart cases, you can either make it as one big cheesecake, or use a muffin pan to make mini-cheesecakes. Just pop a strip of baking paper in each tin so you can easily remove the cheesecakes at the end by lifting up each end of the paper. For less mint flavour, just use plain chocolate biscuits for the base instead of the mint choc ones.
Ingredients
1 x 200-250g packet choc mint biscuits (or plain)
50g butter, softened
150g dark chocolate
1/2 tsp pure peppermint essence
½ cup cream, lightly whipped
¼ cup cream, liquid
250g cream cheese
Extra grated and melted chocolate, to garnish
Extra whipped cream, to serve
Mint leaves, to garnish
Method
Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to a very fine crumb (you can also smash the biscuits in a bag with a rolling pin if you don’t’ have a food processor). Add the butter and process until well combined. Tip the crumbs into 4-6 small tart tins (or use a muffin pan) and using your fingers, press into the base and up the sides to form a shell. Refrigerate to set.
Using an electric beater (or a non-electric one and lots of elbow grease), beat the cream cheese until fluffy and well mixed.
Place the broken up chocolate, peppermint essence and the ¼ cup liquid cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and heat until just melted, stirring every now and then. Cool slightly, then add a spoonful at a time to the cream cheese mixture, beating well after each addition. Beat in the whipped cream. Spoon the mixture into the biscuit bases and smooth out the tops a little. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until needed.
When you’re ready to serve your cheesecakes, carefully remove them from the tins and place on serving plates or a serving tray. Spoon a dollop of whipped cream on top, sprinkle over the grated chocolate and drizzle over the melted chocolate. Garnish with mint leaves.
