Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cheesecake

This is a Nigella Lawson Recipe but tweaked a little in a Dor fashion.

Before I start, this cheesecake is not for the faint hearted or anyone watching their weight. It's rich, delicious and totally indulgent. Great for a special party or a Christmas dessert. Portion it carefully, you really won't need a huge slice for once.

I've not got a sweet tooth at all but I do love the odd bit of chocolate. Two of my favourite things however are cheese & nuts. So what could be better for me than this Chocolate, peanut butter Cheesecake. The base is made with Chocolate Digestives (Graham Crackers), dark chocolate drops and roasted peanuts.

The Cheesecake centre is made with eggs, Philly, peanut butter just a little sugar and sour cream.
The chocolate top is quite decadent, brown sugar, rich dark chocolate a a great dollop of sour cream.

 

 You will need to line a 23cm /10" loose bottomed tin with baking parchment. Or alternatively use a silicone mould of the same size

The Base

• 200g/7oz  chocolate digestives /Graham crackers
• 50g/2oz salted roasted peanuts
• 100g/3½oz dark chocolate
• 50g/2oz softened salted butter
•  

The Cheesecake centre

• 500g/1lb 1oz Philly or a good quality cream cheese
• 3 whole eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 125ml/4¼fl oz sour cream
• 250g/9oz smooth peanut butter
• a tbsp of brandy if for adults only
•  

The Chocolate top

• 250ml/9fl oz sour cream
• 100g/3½oz 70% good quality dark chocolate
• 30g/1¼oz light muscavado

 

Method:-

 

Set your oven to 170c/325f/Gas 3 

1. For the base, process the biscuits, peanuts, dark chocolate chips and butter in a food processor. Once the mixture comes together, turn it out into a 23cm/9in spring form tin and press it into the bottom of the tin and up the sides, using your fingers, to make a crunchy crust. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
2. For the filling, process the cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks, sugar, soured cream and peanut butter & the optional brandy in a food processor, whizzing to a smooth mixture.
3. Pour and scrape the filling mixture into the cheesecake base in the chilled spring form tin and cook for 1 hour, checking after 50 minutes. The top – only – should feel set and dry. When cooked, take the cheesecake out of the oven while you make the topping.
4. For the topping, warm the soured cream and chocolate chips with the brown sugar gently in a small saucepan over a low heat, whisking to blend in the chocolate as it melts. Once the mixture is melted and well combined, take off the heat.
5. Pour over and spread the topping very gently over the top of the cheesecake, Pop it back in the oven for a final 10 minutes.
6. Once out of the oven, let the cheesecake cool completely in its tin, then cover and put into the fridge overnight. When you are ready to eat the cheesecake, take it out and bring it  for around 30 minutes before serving. 
7. this freezes surprisingly well. Make sure you defrost in the fridge overnight before serving. 

 

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

I have been making Nanaimo Bars since I first visited Vancouver in the 1970s. The original recipe was from one of my most used cook books ever. 'Mama never cooked like this' by Susan Mendelson. This book also has the best baked cheesecake recipe ever. The pages are stuck together with all sorts of delicious ingredients from over the years. Hopefully it could still be in print so I can invest in another copy one day.

 


This recipe has been adapted to incorporate the boys favourite combos of chocolate & peanut butter. It also proved to be a big hit on my Facebook page coming in at number 3 in my popular baking posts. The recipe is such a easy no-bake and will make lots & lots of bars which will freeze well if they're not all scoffed as soon as they're made. Hope you're going to enjoy them.


The main difference between the original and this recipe is the 2nd layer which has been changed to a peanut butter filling.

The Base:- to fit in a 9" /23cm square tin, greased & lined with parchment
125 gms/ around 1/2 cup butter
55 gms/1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1tsp vanilla extract
1tbsp cocoa powder
400gms Digestive biscuits crushed / 2 cups Graham Cracker crumbs
100 gms desiccated coconut / 1cup sweetened coconut flakes
100 gms chopped nuts / 1/2 cup. I used walnuts but almonds, pecans or any other chopped nuts should do nicely.
Melt the butter, sugar, vanilla gently in a bowl placed over a pan of gently simmering water.
As soon as it's melted but NOT HOT beat in the egg, add the cocoa, biscuit,, coconut & chopped nuts
Press firmly into the baking tray. Put into the fridge until really firm

The Middle layer:-
75gms butter/ 1/3 cup butter
115gms/ 1/2 cup Smooth peanut butter ****(if you don't like peanut butter see below)
100 gms icing sugar / 2 cups Confectioners sugar
Beat together until light & smooth
Spread evenly over the base
Place in the freezer for 25 minutes to set

Chocolate top:-
100gms / 4oz 70% dark chocolate
75 gms/ 1tbsp butter
Melt very gently together in a bowl over a pan of hot water stirring all the time.
Pour over the peanut butter layer & roll carefully into the corners completely coating everything.
Chill until cool. Cut into slices, squares or however you want.

***** alternative 2nd layer the original ingredients are 55gms Butter, 3tbsp milk, 400gms icing sugar, 2 tbsp custard powder, beaten together.