Chocolate Cheesecake

Photo: flickr user spjwebster

Ingredients

For the base:

2/5 cup finely crushed nuts (almonds and hazelnuts)

10 very finely crushed graham crackers/Digestives

1 teaspoon heaping cinnamon

150 grams butter, melted

For the filling:

7 ounces (200g.) plain cream cheese

½ dl. raw cane sugar

1 egg

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon liquid sweetener

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon liquid vanilla

160 grams dark chocolate

For the icing (optional):

cup ¼ - ½ sour cream

Preparation

Preheat the oven 360°F.

Run the nuts in a food processor, and add the graham crackers and the cinnamon. The crackers must be finely crushed. Stir in melted butter.

Press the mixture into the bottom of a 8” silicone baking pan with your fingers. Set aside.

Soften the cream cheese, place it in a food processor bowl, and add eggs, sugar, flour, sweetener and vanilla, and run until smooth. Stir in melted chocolate.

Pour the very liquid mix into the baking pan, on top of the cracker-nut mix.

Leave it for about 10 minutes, and tap on the sides of the pan, to release bubbles before baking it.

Place on a rack low in the oven.

Bake for 35 – 45 minutes, or until the middle of the cake is almost set when you tap the pan – that’s when the filling is firm but still creamy.

Remove the cake, and close the oven. Spread sour cream over the cake in a thin layer. Return the cake to the oven, turn off the heat, and leave it for 5 – 10 minutes.

The icing gives a nice, subtle acidity to the cake, which is a nice contrast.

Leave the cake to cool in the pan on a rack for about 45 minutes. Add fruit and jelly, if desired, or serve with a fruit sauce and freshly whipped cream.