Chocolate Mint Cheesecake - Bun Diaries #2

Ingredients:

50g butter
200g dark cooking chocolate
1 pkt Arnott’s Mint Slice biscuits
2 tbs boiling water
2 tsp gelatin powder
250g pkt cream cheese, at room temperature
1⁄2 cup caster sugar
1⁄2 cup thickened cream
150g white chocolate
1/2 tsp peppermint essence
4 drops green food colouring
Fresh mint leaves, to serve (optional)
chocolate pastry
2 1⁄2 cups plain flour
1⁄3 cup icing sugar mixture
3 tbs cocoa powder
200g butter, chilled, chopped
2 egg yolks
3 tbs milk

Method:

For the pastry, process flour, sugar and cocoa in a food processor until combined. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add yolks and milk. Process until dough comes together then turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll dough into a ball and cover with cling film then place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Sandwich pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to roll into a 4mm-thick disc – rolling out the dough between baking paper makes it so much easier because the dough doesn’t stick to the rolling pin and it’s easier to pick up! Place dough in a 3cm deep 24cm (base measurement) round fluted tart tin with a removable base and press firmly – keep the top sheet of baking paper on. Trim excess then put back in fridge for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C (392F/Gas mark 6). Fill pastry case with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pastry weights or rice and paper. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until cooked through and crisp. Cool in tin.

Place butter and 120g chocolate in a heatproof bowl over saucepan of boiling water, stirring until melted and smooth. Spread over the pastry base and press biscuits on top in a single layer.

Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over saucepan of boiling water, stir occasionally until smooth. Meanwhile, using electric beaters to beat cream cheese in a bowl until broken up. Add sugar and cream and beat until well combined. Beat in white chocolate, essence and food colouring until smooth. You can add a little more peppermint essence if you’d like a stronger taste (I personally wouldn’t use more than 1 full teaspoon but it’s up to you). Place boiling water in a heatproof cup (I used a coffee mug) and sprinkle with gelatin then place cup in a larger heatproof bowl filled with boiling water, stirring gelatin mix until dissolved. Remove cup from water and let cool for 30 seconds before adding to cream cheese mixture and beating again until smooth.

Pour into pastry case and smooth surface. Cover then place in the fridge for 3-4 hours or until set – best if you can leave it refrigerated over night.

Before serving, place remaining dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over saucepan of boiling water and stir until melted and smooth. Drizzle over top of cheese cake using a spoon in a circular motion to decorate. Top with mint, if being super fancy and watch it disappear into every ones bellies!