Studded Cheese Cake

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A showstopper, this cheese cake is as luscious as it looks. It features a rich crumbly base, a creamy filling studded with chocolate chunks and a drizzle of tangy red currants that beautifully balance the sweetness and add a magic touch to the final silky ganache layer.

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Studded Cheese Cake

Yield: 8

Author: Fida Milki

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 5 cups finely ground cookies of your choice
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter

For the filling:

• 4 cups cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups chocolate chunks( you could use any cake or brownie leftovers) or 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup red currants or any other kind of berries

For the ganache:

• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup heavy cream or milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F(175 C).
2. Grease a 9- inch springform cake pan and line it with parchment paper.

Prepare the crust:

1. In a bowl, mix the cookie crumbs and the melted butter and knead with your wet hands until well combined.
2. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
3. Put in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the filling

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese with the sugar, flour and salt and mix for around 3 minutes until smooth.
2. Slowly mix in the cream or milk followed by the orange zest and vanilla extract.
3. Add the eggs and the egg yolk one at a time and mix until well blended.
4. Fold in the chocolate chunks or chips and finish with the red currants.
5. Remove the pan from the fridge and pour the mixture into the crust. Use a spatula to make sure it is even.
6. Place the pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the heated oven for around 45 minutes or until the edges are set but the center still jiggles when the pan is shaken.
7. Turn the oven off and crack open the door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature.
9. Refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the ganache

1. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream or milk to a boil then pour over the chocolate chips.
2. Let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.

Bring it together

1. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge.
2. Run a knife around the edges then gently remove it from the mold and place on a serving platter.
3. Pour the ganache evenly over the cheesecake.
4. Return to the fridge and let sit for at least 1 hour before serving.
5. Decorate with more red currants or the berry you used, slice and enjoy!