Choc Honeycomb Cheesecake: Makes 1 × 20cm (8in) cheesecake (serves 12)
Ingredients:
2 × quantities choux pastry (see How to Make Éclairs)
Cheesecake Filling
750g (1lb 10oz) cream cheese
160g (53⁄4oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar
10ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract
675ml (11⁄4 pints) double (heavy) cream
3 × chocolate honeycomb bars such as Crunchie, roughly chopped
Decorations
100g (31⁄2oz) grated dark (semisweet) chocolate
1 × chocolate honeycomb bar, roughly chopped
25g (1oz) dark (semisweet) chocolate chips
Equipment
3 × baking sheets
Baking (parchment) paper
20cm (8in) dessert ring
Electric hand whisk
Acetate sheet (or strips cut from A4 sheet), to line dessert ring
Tip: If you don’t have a dessert ring, use the side of a 20cm (8in) springform tin.
Instruction:
1. Line three baking sheets with non-stick baking (parchment) paper. On the reverse side of each piece of the paper, draw a circle in pencil 16.5cm (61⁄2in) in diameter.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan)/180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Fill piping (pastry) bag fitted with a 1.5cm (5∕8in) open nozzle (tip) with the chilled choux pastry—pipe a spiral, starting in the center to fill each of the 16.5cm (61⁄2in) circles. Spray lightly with vegetable oil and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Allow the discs to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. To prepare the cheesecake filling, beat together the cream cheese and icing (confectioners’) sugar with an electric hand whisk until just combined. Whisk in the vanilla extract followed by the cream, a little at a time, and continue to whisk until the mixture stands in medium-firm peaks.
4. Reserve 250g (9oz) of the cheesecake filling and set aside. Mix the chopped honeycomb chocolate bars into the remainder with a wooden spoon.
5. Trim the three choux discs to exactly 20cm (8in) circles either by pressing the dessert ring over it to cut away the excess or trimming to size with a sharp knife.
Assembly
1. Line the dessert ring with acetate or non-stick baking (parchment) paper, allowing the paper to rise 5cm (2in) above the top of the ring. Set the ring onto a serving plate and place one choux disc into the base.
2. Top with half of the cheesecake and honeycomb filling. Add a further choux disc and then the remaining cheesecake mixture. Top with the final choux disc, pressing it down to an even level.
3. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once chilled, carefully remove the dessert ring and acetate.
4. Cover the edges of a serving plate with cling film (plastic wrap).
5. Cover the top and sides of the cheesecake with the reserved 250g (9oz) plain cheesecake mixture, spreading it evenly with a palette knife.
6. To coat the sides of the cheesecake with grated dark chocolate, hold the grated chocolate in a cupped hand and press gently against the sides. Scatter the chopped honeycomb and choc chips over the top, remove the excess grated chocolate, and the cling film (plastic wrap) from the plate. Serve.
Tip: Piping a 16.5cm (61⁄2in) circle will create a 20cm (8in) finished disc
Result: Choc Honeycomb Cheesecake
Have a good meal, and see you soon with new delicious ingredients.
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