Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake

I must have channelled my inner Nigella with this one.
You see, I just had to make something with peanut butter and chocolate (as one does) and conveniently had a number of the chilled ingredients in my fridge, nearing their "use by" date.
Well, to be honest they were approaching their "incinerate"date, but that's the beauty of cultured dairy - it never really goes off, just gets...more interesting.
(Did I really just write that? TMI?)

Anyway, getting back to Nigella - I put this recipe together using what I had on hand, and then had a look at similar cheesecakes to figure out the baking time. That's when I saw how similar mine was to Nigella's; especially the base.

Well, I couldn't unmake it by then, so I decided to take photos anyway and share it with you.
But if you want to go get Nigella's version rather - I won't take offence.  Really! I'm mean it ... it's Nigella!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake
Recipe by Tea, Cake and Create (really!)


NB - allow for sufficient chilling time when making a cheesecake.

Crust:
280g butter biscuits, finely crushed*
100g butter, melted
50g chopped roasted salted peanuts
75g dark chocolate cut into small pieces.

*(use digestive biscuits / Marie biscuits - I use the butter biscuits left over from classes, which I freeze until needed).

Mix all the ingredients together and press into the base of a greased and lined 20-22cm springform pan.
Place in the freezer for 30min.

Filling:
250g mascarpone
250g cream cheese
150g caster sugar
300g peanut butter
3 eggs
250ml sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, vanilla and sugar together until smooth.
Add the peanut butter, mix well.
Beat in the eggs and sour cream.

Pour onto the chilled based and bake in a water bath* at 170'C for 60-70min or until just the centre of the cheesecake is slightly wobbly.
Allow to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar. Then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, before spreading on the ganache topping.

*To bake in a water bath:

  wrap foil around the springform tin and place it in a roasting pan with enough water in it to rise 2cm   up the side of the springform pan.

Ganache:

240g dark chocolate - chopped into small even sized pieces.
120ml fresh cream (35-40% fat content)

Melt the chocolate and cream together in a double boiler.
Once most of the chocolate is melted, stir until smooth.
Leave to set until it has an easy spreading consistency.

When the cheesecake has chilled, spread the chocolate ganache on the top and smooth.
Place back into the fridge for 30 min before serving.

Enjoy!

xxM