Chocolate cheesecake

The calculation in the recipe is for 5 mini cheesecakes (baked in silicone molds 7cm (2.80 inch) in diameter and 4cm (1.60 inch) in height).
cakes_spirit
Recipe by:

cakes_spirit

Chocolate cheesecake

Ingredients

Shortcrust base
crunchy wafers
110g
3.85oz
0.44cup
7.37tbsp
brown sugar
8g
0.28oz
0.54tbsp
cocoa powder
1tsp
butter
100g
3.50oz
0.40cup
6.70tbsp
salt
1/8tsp
Cheesecake
cream cheese
350g
12.25oz
1.40cup
23.45tbsp
chocolate
140g
4.90oz
0.56cup
9.38tbsp
flour
1Tbs
salt
1Tbs
brown sugar
75g
2.63oz
0.30cup
5tbsp
vanilla extract
1tsp
eggs
2pc
milk
1Tbs
Dark chocolate ganache
dark chocolate
90g
3.15oz
0.36cup
6tbsp
butter
42g
1.47oz
2.81tbsp
Meringue buttercream
egg whites
2pc
powdered sugar
100g
3.50oz
0.40cup
6.70tbsp
cocoa powder
12g
0.42oz
0.80tbsp
dark chocolate
100g
3.50oz
0.40cup
6.70tbsp
butter
225g
7.88oz
1cup
15tbsp

Method

Shortcrust base

  1. Combine the wafers with sugar, salt and cocoa powder; and grind themix to a fine powder.
  2. Add the melted butter, and pulse the mixture for 30seconds.
  3. Preheat the oven to 190C (374F).
  4. Spread the mixture between the silicone molds, and start pressing it down with a spoon gently, evening it out and also transferring a little bit onto the walls of the mold.
  5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  6. Remove the bases from the oven, and let them cool to room temperature.

Cheesecake

  1. Bring the eggs and cream cheese to room temperature. Melt the chocolate, then let it cool to room temperature as well.
  2. In a mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese, flour and chocolate. Using a paddle attachment, whip the mixture on a medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping it from the walls of the bowl with a spatula from time to time. Add salt together with sugar, vanilla extract and milk, and whip the mixture for 2-3 minutes more until smooth.
  3. Reduce the mixing speed to low, and start adding the eggs one by one, whipping the mixture after each addition for no more than 20-30 seconds (otherwise your cheesecakes will rise too much in the middle when baking).
  4. Turn off the mixer, and stir the cheesecake mixture thoroughly with a spatula, and press it through a sieve.
  5. Preheat the oven to 150C (302F).
  6. Fill the baking sheet with water, and put it on the bottom of the oven.
  7. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly between the molds, pouring it over the shortbread crusts.
  8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, checking the sides of the cheesecakes. Once they are ready, they should separate from the walls of the molds easily, and yet still be soft and a little shaking in the middle. Leave to cool without taking them out of the molds!!!
  9. Cut off the domes of the cheesecakes with a sharp knife. Cover them closely with some plastic wrap, and then refrigerate them for at least 8 hours. After that, remove them from the molds.
  10. You may cover the chilled cheesecakes with some ganache, and then leave them for an hour to set. Decorate with some meringue buttercream.

Dark chocolate ganache

Combine all the ingredients together, then cook them over a low heat until they melt completely, stirring constantly. Leave the ganache to cool to 30C (86F), then pour it on top of each cheesecake.

Meringue buttercream for decoration

  1. Cut the butter into 1cm (0.40 inch) cubes, and place it in the fridge while whipping the egg whites.
  2. In a heat-resistant saucepan, combine the egg whites and the powdered sugar. Place it in a water bath, and bring the mixture to 70C (158F), stirring constantly.
  3. Carefully transfer the heated mixture to a mixer bowl, and whip it on a medium to high speed for about 9-10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate, and let it cool; then sieve the cocoa powder into it.
  5. Start adding the chilled butter cubes  one by one (once every 5 seconds), without stopping whipping. Once all the butter has been added, whip the mixture for 10 minutes more, while still keeping the same speed.
  6. Prepare 4 piping bags, each with a different tip attached to it.
  7. Divide the mixture into 4 parts.
  8. Take one part, and transfer it to a separate bowl;add half the amount of melted chocolate, and mix it all together with a spatula until combined. Transfer to the first piping bag.
  9. Now roughly divide the meringue mixture into three parts. Take one part, and transfer it to the same bowl you used to combine the first part of the buttercream; pour in the rest of the chocolate, mix well, and transfer to the second piping bag.
  10. Transfer the remaining meringue mixture to the last piping bag. Refrigerate the buttercream for about 10-12 minutes, then pipe it on top of the cheesecakes to create some decorations. Place the cheesecakes in the fridge until serve.