For the cheesecake
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150 g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
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300 g dark chocolate digestives
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100 g golden caster sugar
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3 tablespoons cornflour
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900 g full-fat cream cheese
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2 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
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100 ml double cream
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1 orange
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50 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces
For the cherries
-
300 g dried sour cherries
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3 heaped tablespoons caster sugar
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1 orange
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1 stick cinnamon
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1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways
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1 splash rum, brandy or grappa
For the chocolate sauce
-
100 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
-
200 ml single cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line the bottom and sides of a 24cm springform cake tin with butter.
Finely crumble the biscuits into a bowl then mix in the melted butter.
When it's well combined, spoon it into the cake tin, spread it evenly so
it covers the base, then press it down. Cook in the oven for 10
minutes, then let it cool. Turn the oven up to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
To prepare the cherries, add them to a pan with the sugar, the zest of
the orange, the juice of half, and the cinnamon. Scrape the seeds out of
the vanilla pod and put them to one side. Add a splash of rum and the
vanilla pod to the pan, then put it on a low-to-medium heat and simmer
gently for 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave to cool.
To make the cheesecake, combine the sugar and cornflour in a bowl, then
add the cream cheese and beat well. Add the eggs and beat again until
the mixture is smooth and light. Slowly beat in the cream, then add the
reserved vanilla seeds and zest of the orange, and beat again.
Using a slotted spoon, take half the cherries out of the pan and gently
fold them into the cheesecake mix with the chocolate. Spoon this over
the biscuit base, and gently shake the cake tin to level out the
surface. Pop a few cherries on top and gently press them in. Scoop the
remaining cherries and juices into a small bowl to serve with the
cheesecake.
Put the cheesecake in the centre of the oven and bake for 40 to 45
minutes, until the top is lightly brown and the edges have set. If it
looks like it's browning too much, cover the top with some tin foil for
the rest of the cooking time. When the time's up, take the cake out of
the oven and either leave it to cool at room temperature, or, if you
like your cheesecake really firm, pop it in the fridge until completely
chilled.
Just before serving, make the chocolate sauce. Pour the single cream
into a small pan and place over a low heat. Cook until it just starts to
bubble, then add the chocolate and whisk gently until it has all
melted.
Serve your gorgeous cheesecake with the bowl of reserved cherries and a
jug of warm chocolate sauce on the side so people can drizzle over as
much or as little as they like.
