I’m not a big fan of dessert, I’m a savoury tooth girl – dessert? Or a cheeseboard and a Port? I’m the latter, every time. However, there’s an exception. Put this cheesecake in front of me and I’m there, with bells on!
This is probably my signature dessert, I’ve been making it on on and off for at least a decade since my friend Marissa gave it to me! It makes me warm and fuzzy inside when I go to my friends’ houses for dinner and this comes out as dessert. It’s tried and tested and I reckon one day when I’m an old lady, I’ll rock up to my son’s house for dinner and he’ll make it for me (he loves it – don’t judge me on letting a seven year old eat cheesecake with Baileys in it!). Anyhow, back to the recipe… You’ll see from the photo below that you can also make this in individual dishes, as opposed to being made in a cake tin (which is what I usually do) This is the sheer brilliance of my colleague Kelly who made this (kindly) for her team as a special treat and, lucky me, I got one too! I shared this photo on my Facebook page and loads of you asked for the recipe. Sure thing! Here it is, complete with the photo of Kelly’s wonderful creation. Big picture, make the cheesecake however you like, whether that’s in a springform cake tin, or Kelly’s way, in individual containers (it would be nice in red wine glasses!) Either way… You’ll have your dessert goers begging for the recipe!
Ingredients
200g packet of Griffins Chocolate Chip cookies or X1 packet of plain biscuits (Superwines are ideal)
125g melted butter
3 tsp gelatine (I use the Davis brand of ‘clear and unflavoured gelatine)
1/4c water
375g cream cheese (softened slightly – I take the chill by microwaving it for 20 seconds!)
1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
½ c castor sugar
300ml cream – whipped
3 Mars Bars – finely chopped
Good ‘slop’ of Baileys (1/4 c approx)
Chocolate shavings/a Cadbury Flake bar to serve – optional (garnish)
- Line the base of a round 22cm diameter springform cake tin with a cut round of baking paper.
- Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to a fine crumb (you can also finely smash the biscuits in a bag with a rolling pin if you don’t have a food processor). Add the butter and process till smooth.
- Tip the biscuit mixture into the cake tin. Using clean and moistened fingers, press the crumb into the base and up the sides to form a shell. You want it about halfway up the sides of the cake tin (about 5-6cm high).
- Refrigerate the base for at least one hour to set.
- Mix water and gelatine together in a cup – and microwave briefly to dissolve the gelatine. Leave to cool (but not for too long, or the gelatine will set!)
- Place the cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat well with an electric beater. Add vanilla and sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add whipped cream, Mars Bars and Baileys. Fold through until it’s all mixed through.
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Tip cream cheese mixture over biscuit base.
- Refrigerate for at least four hours to set (this is a great dessert to do the night before it’s needed).
- To serve – Run a knife around the outside of the crust slightly to loosen it – then undo the spring. Or, a clever way is to sit the tin on a sturdy wide bowl. Carefully release the spring latch on the tin and let the sides of the tin drop down. Easy. If you can, gently remove the metal base of the cake tin with a metal spatula/fish slice and peel off the baking paper. Slide the cheesecake onto a serving platter – grate chocolate over it (or break up a Cadbury Flake bar). Eat fast so you get seconds.
June 2014 Update: I entered this recipe in the 2014 Sweet New Zealand #35 competition, check it out here!