Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake

This is a Nigella recipe that I made last weekend for my son's birthday because he is mad about peanut butter.  It is a handsome looking cheesecake that is fit to grace a smart dinner party but remember to make it the day before so it can set fully.  It cuts very cleanly and sets nicely without the need for gelatine.  It will keep in the fridge for days.  The peanut butter flavour is not overwhelming, in fact a few people thought the peanut base was stronger.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE

 

 

FOR THE BASE

• 200g digestive biscuits
• 50g salted peanuts
• 100g plain chocolate, chopped
• 50g butter, softened

 

FOR THE FILLING

• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 250g Philadelphia or similar (light is fine)
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 200g caster sugar
• 125ml sour cream
• 250g smooth peanut butter

FOR THE TOPPING

• 250ml sour cream
• 100g milk chocolate
• 30g soft brown sugar

 

 

 

Preheat your oven to 170c/325f/Gas 3

Put all the base ingredients into a food processor and blend till it comes together and starts to clump

Press into the base and up the sides of a 23cm spring form tin and chill whilst you make the filling (the base that is, not you!)

 

Wipe out the bowl of your processor and blend the filling ingredients to a smooth finish

Pour into the tin and bake for about an hour but check after fifty minutes.  The top should be set and dry with maybe a very slight wobble in the centre.  If the centre is obviously still liquid underneath then it isn't ready, mine took an extra twenty minutes at Gas mk 2.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

 

Warm the topping ingredients gently together in a pan over a low heat whisking to blend then remove from the heat.  Pour over the top of the cheesecake and smooth out.  I did this the following day so there is no rush. 

 

 

Refrigerate overnight but remove from the fridge about ten minutes before you want to serve it.  Don't let it get too warm or it will be too gooey to slice easily.