Chocolate Mouse Cheesecake

An indulgent chocolate dessert to grace any dinner party.

Recipe/ingredients:

You will need a 25cm x 6cm cake tin. Spring loaded if you have one, but not essential. Electric whisk and a balloon whisk.

For the chocolate cheesecake mouse:
200g dark chocolate – 70% cocoa.
3 large eggs separated.
200g cream cheese.
300ml double cream.
100g caster sugar. (Split sugar into two measures of 60g and 40g.)
1 and a 1/2 leaves of gelatin.
1 tsp vanilla essence/extract.
Juice of half a small lemon or a tablespoon of brandy.
1 tbls of cocoa powder for dusting.

For the base:
120g melted butter.
300g digestive biscuits.
5g of butter for greasing tin.

Method:

For biscuit base:
Grease cake tin with thin layer of butter, then line base and sides of tin with greaseproof paper.
Crush biscuits to a crumb by putting in a strong plastic bag and hitting with a rolling pin – or use a food processor.
Once the biscuits have been crushed place into a bowl and mix with the melted butter.
Put the biscuit mix into your lined cake tin. Using the back of a dessert spoon press and smooth the biscuit mixture down evenly to create your biscuit base.
Set aside in a refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

For chocolate cheesecake mouse:
Put gelatin in a dish of cold water to soften.
Break chocolate, into heat proof bowl, and place over a pan of simmering water to melt.
Whip the double cream to soft peaks and set aside in a refrigerator.
Thoroughly mix cream cheese with 40g of caster sugar, set aside.
Over a pan of simmering hot water, whisk 3 egg yolks, vanilla and lemon juice (or brandy) for 5 minutes with an electric whisk. Be careful not to scramble the yolks.
Add softened gelatin to the egg yolk mix and continue whisking until combined and all the gelatin has melted.
Add the melted chocolate to the egg yolks, and using a balloon whisk, mix until all the chocolate is combined. Remove from heat and set aside. See Note.
In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks then whisk in 60g of sugar to create a meringue.
You are now ready to combine the cream cheese, whipped cream, and meringue to the egg yolk and chocolate mixture.
With a balloon whisk, combine the cream cheese and double cream together.
Now add cream cheese and double cream mixture to the chocolate and egg yolk mixture – mix thoroughly with balloon whisk.
Now fold in the meringue with balloon whisk. Once combined, pour into your lined cake tin and level off the surface.
Chill overnight and enjoy.

Serve with a fruit compote of your choice – I chose cherry.

Tip: Before removing from the tin, leave at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will prevent the tin dragging the sides of the cheesecake as you lift if off.

Tip: Dust each serving with cocoa powder.

Note: If your chocolate and egg yolk mixture splits, or becomes to thick, whisk over a pan of simmering water to loosen. Add an extra dessert spoon of lemon or brandy if need be, and all will be good.

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