Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

For the base:

• 185g chocolate cookies, crushed
• 50g unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake filling:

• 180g dark chocolate
• 250ml fresh cream
• 460g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 115g granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee

Cherry Jam:

• 500g fresh cherries, pitted
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon corn flour

Garnishes

• whipped cream
• fresh cherries
• chocolate shavings

Cherry jam:

Add pitted cherries, lemon juice, and caster sugar to a nonstick saucepan on medium-high heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft and slightly thickened. Make a slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of water with the corn flour and adding it to the cherry mixture. Mix gently until thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Cookie base:

Place chocolate cookies in the food processor and blitz until they become fine crumbs. Add to a bowl and mix in melted butter until combined. Transfer crumbs into mini cocotte, pressing evenly and firmly onto the base.

Cheesecake filling:

Place 1/2 cup of cream and dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Microwave in two 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Pour the cooled ganache into the cream cheese mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of cream in a separate bowl until it forms stiff peaks. Add the whipped cream to the cheesecake filling and use a spatula to fold it until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared Le Creuset Holly Mini Cocottes and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.

Once set, top with cherry jam, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings.

Recipe & image courtesy of Landi Govender