Baked Chocolate Cheesecake

One of my absolute fave local baking blogs is The Kate Tin – Katelyn’s recipes are amazing, her pictures and food photography is basically next to none and I mean just scroll through any of her channels and you’ll be drowning in drool.

For a while now, I’ve been looking for a go-to baked chocolate cheesecake recipe and when I attempted hers, I was SOLD!

I absolutely have to agree with her, this is the best baked chocolate cheesecake recipe…ever! Have a look at the ingredients and you’ll know that this is decadent and yes quite pricey, so definitely reserve it for a special occasion. I’ve made it twice now and I swear it is chocolate heaven and the texture is a smooth mousse meets baked cheesecake party! Katelyn has so graciously agreed for me to share this recipe on my blog, if you’d like to view the original recipe and her amazing pictures, click here. Alternatively, here you go:

Ingredients:

• 200g coconut biscuits (I used tennis biscuits)
• 100g salted butter, melted
• 50g cocoa powder

• 675g full fat cream cheese, softened
• 375g sour cream or plain yoghurt
• 220g Natura Sugars Soft Brown Sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 450g 70% dark chocolate (I used Lindt Surfin), melted
• 50g butter, melted
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• Fresh raspberries, strawberries (or any berries of your choice really) and edible flowers, to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius or 160 degrees if you’re using a fan-forced oven.
2. Grease and line a 22cm round springform cake tin and wrap the outside in foil.
3. Prepare a large roasting tray large enough for the cake tin to fit inside, fill halfway with water and place in the oven while it preheats.
4. To make the crust, place the biscuits, butter and cocoa powder in a food processor and process until fine. Press into the base of the lined tin.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely.
6. To make the cheesecake, place the cream cheese, yoghurt and soft brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.
7. Add the eggs one at a time, blending in between each addition.
8. Add the melted chocolate, butter and cocoa powder and blend well.
9. Pour into the prepared baking tin and smooth the top.
10. Place the cheesecake into the bain marie (the water should be hot by now) and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cheesecake wobbles slightly.
11. Turn the oven off and allow it to cool inside for 30 minutes.
12. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature until the water is completely cool.
13. Remove from the bain marie, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or preferably overnight).
14. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge an hour before you want to serve it.
15. Decorate with the fresh berries and edible flowers when serving and enjoy!