Chocolate Cheesecake
- 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 stick butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped small
- 2 1/2 cups cream cheese
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar
- 1 tablespoon Bird's custard powder (available at baking supply stores)
- 3 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dark corn syrup
- To make the base, process the graham cracker crumbs, butter and cocoa powder in a food processor until it makes damp, clumping crumbs.
- Tip them into a 9-inch springform pan.
- Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a kettle on to boil.
- Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.
- To make the filling, beat the cream cheese to soften it, and then add the sugar and custard powder, beating again to combine.
- Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks and the sour cream.
- Finally, add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and the melted chocolate and mix to make a smooth batter.
- Take the springform pan out of the freezer and line the outside of the pan with a good layer of plastic wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that.
- This will protect it from the water bath.
- Sit the springform pan in a roasting pan and pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan.
- Fill the roasting pan with the just-boiled water from the kettle to come about halfway up the cake pan, and bake in the oven 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.
- Peel away the foil and plastic wrap and sit the cheesecake in its pan on a rack to cool.
- Put in the fridge once it is no longer hot and leave to set, covered with plastic, overnight.
- Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.
- To make the glaze, very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and corn syrup.
- When the chocolate has nearly melted, take it off the heat and whisk until smooth.
- Let it cool a little, then Jackson Pollock it over the cheesecake.
- Use the remaining glaze as an accompanying sauce.
- Photograph by Gentl & Hyers
graham cracker crumbs, butter, cocoa, bittersweet, cream cheese, sugar, custard powder, eggs, sour cream, cocoa, semisweet chocolate, heavy cream, corn syrup
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/chocolate-cheesecake-recipe2.html (may not work)