I’m having trouble getting good photos of my desserts… they keep being eaten! Here’s another hard-to-photograph success; Cherry Ripe Cheesecake!

Cherry Ripe Cheesecake

Makes a 25cm dia cheesecake

Base

A: 375g good-quality chocolate biscuits
B: 125g butter, melted
C: 3tbsp cocoa (for chocoholics)

Process biscuits in a food processor until very fine. Mix in cocoa.
Add melted butter and stir together.
Line a spring-form tin with paper and press the mixture into the base and sides of the tin.
TIP: Pour about 2/3rds of the mixture in, and make the sides first! Then pour the rest in and flatten out a base.
Place in the fridge to set.

 Filling

A: 200g dark chocolate
B: 4 large cherry ripe bars
C: 1 tin black cherries, drained
D: 750g cream cheese, at room temperature
E: 100g caster sugar
F: 3 eggs

Chop up chocolate and cherry ripe bars, place in a double boiler to melt.
Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Once chocolate has melted take it off the heat, and ensure it’s not too hot.
Beat in the chocolate mixture and cherries.
Pour the filling into the springform tin, and smooth out the top.
Bake at 180°C for 50 minutes.
Switch off the heat and prop the door very slightly ajar, let cool for 45 minutes.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Topping

A: 300g cherry jam
B: Cherry ripe bars, to decorate

Microwave jam in a heatproof bowl until liquid.
Pour evenly over cheesecake.
Chop or slice cherry ripe bars as desired, decorate top.
Place back in fridge for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Almost ready to eat!

And almost gone!