Chocolate Cheesecake With Coffee Cream

This delicious cheesecake comes from the April 07 issue of an Australian magazine called Real Living. The coffee cream is optional. You can serve with ice-cream or whipped cream if you prefer. prep time includes chill time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 300  g  plain  chocolate biscuits, such as Digestives
• 75  g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 3  eggs, separated
• 1⁄2 cup caster sugar
• 250  g mascarpone
• 1⁄2 cup  thickened cream
• 1⁄3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1⁄2 cup hazelnut meal
• 2  tablespoons  Frangelico or 2  tablespoons amaretto liqueur
•  icing sugar, to dust

• COFFEE CREAM

• 1  cup sour cream
• 4  tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  strong  espresso (cooled)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170c (150c fan forced) and grease a 23cm springform cake tin.
2. Blend biscuits in processor until crumbs are fine.
3. Transfer to a bowl & stir in butter until combined, then spoon mixture into your cake tin and press over base & halfway up the sides, using a small glass to roll over it & smooth it out.
4. Chill for 10 mins until firm to touch.
5. Place remaining cheesecake ingredients except egg whites into a food processor & blend until smooth, then transfer to a large bowl.
6. Whisk egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff.
7. Using a metal spoon, fold whites into cake mixture until combined.
8. Spoon into tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until just set.
9. Remove from the oven & allow to cool to room temperature.
10. COFFEE CREAM:.
11. Combine all ingredients in a bowl & beat until mixture forms soft peaks.
12. Remove cheesecake from tin & dust with icing sugar and serve with you choice of coffee cream, cream or ice-cream.