French Food Friday...Chocolate Cheesecake

Another week has speed past tres vite and before I knew it, it was jeudi soir...

Here is a little something for the weekend!

Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Recipe taken from THE FRENCH KITCHEN by Joanne Harris & Fran Warde
(ISBN 0-385-60476-9) an absolutely fabulous cookbook, in my humble opinion.

It's a bit time consuming to make, but I can asure you, it is well worth the effort.

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Chilling time: minimum 3 hours
Serves 6

200g chocolate chip cookies, crushed
half teasp. cinnamon
100g butter, melted
100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa type stuff)
1 tblsp. Tia Maria liqueur (or Kahlua)
100g white chocolate
1 vanilla pod
225ml creme fraiche
75g unrefined demerarararara sugar
225ml double cream (!)


1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the chocky chip cookie crumbs & cinnamon, and combine well. Tip into a 22cm push-up-bottom (not an instruction!) TIN. Spread the mixture evenly with the back of a spoon and 'tamp down' a little to compact it, then chill it in the fridge until set.

2. Melt the dark chocolate in one bowl, and stir in the Tia or Kahlua.

3. Grate the white chocolate into another bowl, and stir the seeds of the vanilla pod into it.

4. Beat together the creme fraiche and demerara sugar until blended, then add the double cream and mix until smooth.

5. Divide the mixture into 2 bowls: Add the melted dark chocolate and Olcohol to the mixed creams in one bowl, and add the grated white chocolate and vanilla seeds to the other. (Are you still following?!)

Spoon the two chocolate mixtures on to the chilled biscuit base, and lightly mix with a fork to obtain a marbled effect.

Chill for minimum of 3 hours before serving.

Slide a knife round the inside edge of the tin to release it a little, push up bottom from underneath et voila you have something very yummy!

Bon appetit a tous......Leeann