Rich Chocolate Cheesecake (1 Large or Individual Serves)

A great cheesecake at anytime of the year. Delicious for Easter. The original recipe calls for creme de cacao, but you can use your favourite liquer like Tia Maria, Kahlua or anything that mixes well with chocolate. If you dont care to add the liqueur...no problem....just leave it out. Have been making this cheesecake for many years. No cooking needed but it does need overnight refrigeration. Use gluten-free cookies/biscuits and decorations if required for a gluten-free diet

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 10-20
• Yields: 1 large or8-12 indiviual serves

Ingredients

• Base

• 2 1⁄2 cups  chocolate cookie crumbs, such as golliwogs (250gram packet) or 250  g  gluten-free  chocolate cookies
• 125  g butter, melted
• 1⁄4 cup  desiccated coconut (optional)

• Cheesecake Filling

• 1⁄2 cup boiling water
• 3  teaspoons gelatin
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons instant coffee, powder (omit if you dont eat or drink coffee)
• 500  g cream cheese (2 packs) or 500  g light cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄2 cup caster sugar (fine sugar)
• 160  g dark chocolate, melted
• 8  teaspoons Creme de Cacao (chocolate liqueur) (optional) or 8  teaspoons  Tia Maria (optional) or 8  teaspoons Kahlua (optional)
• 300  ml  thickened cream or 300  ml heavy cream

• Cream Topping (optional)

• 300  ml  thickened cream
• 1⁄4 cup caster sugar
•  grated chocolate, to decorate chocolate curls, crumbled flake chocolate, crumbled peppermint crisp bar (your choice)

Directions

1. If making one large cheesecake, greae the base of a 23cm sprinform tin and line the sides with baking paper. You can use a smaller tin and the cheesecake will be higher. If making individual serves you can use small springform tins or just use pretty individual glass serving bowls.
2. Process the biscuit/cookie crumbs until fine and add the melted butter. Line base of the tin or dishes and press in Refrigerate for one hour.
3. Add the coffee and the gelatine to the boiling water, mix well and set aside to cool.
4. Using an electric beater- Combine the softened cream cheese with the sugar and beat until smooth. Add the cooled coffee gelatine mixture, the liqueur if using and the melted chocolate. Beat until smooth. Put aside.
5. In another mixing bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
6. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate cheese mixture.
7. Pour the cheese mixture over the bases and refrigerate overnight to set.
8. Cream Topping- whip the cream with the sugar until thick peak stage.
9. Spread over the cheesecake/ or individual serves and decorate as desired.