Haigh's Chocolates Make Haigh's Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

MODERATE 10-12 SERVES 25 MIN PREP 60 MIN COOKING

This cheesecake is super easy to make and yet looks so impressive! There is no need for a water bath or to leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool down, as many recipes require. It simply needs to be placed on the bottom shelf of the oven for 1 hour to achieve a silky-smooth texture.

Ingredients

250g pack Marie biscuits, lightly crushed
¼ cup (40g) almonds
125g unsalted butter, melted
150g Haigh’s dark chocolate pastilles
500g packs cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (120g) sour cream

Method

Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced) and lightly grease a deep 22cm round spring-form tin and line base with baking paper.
Place biscuits and almonds together in a food processor, blending to a fine crumb. Add melted butter, blending until well combined. Spoon mixture into prepared spring-form tin, pressing firmly and evenly over the base and sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place chocolate pastilles in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water off the heat. Leave to stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Place cream cheese, vanilla and sugar together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beating until light and creamy. Remove bowl from mixer and add eggs one at a time, stirring by hand to combine, to prevent adding extra air to the mixture. Add sour cream, stirring until combined.
Evenly divide the mixture into two equal halves, adding melted chocolate to one half, stirring gently to combine.
Using a large spoon dot spoonfuls of the plain cheese mixture over the prepared base, followed by spoonfuls of chocolate cheese mixture in the gaps. Repeat process, placing plain cheese mixture on top of the chocolate dollops and spoonfuls of chocolate cheese mixture in the gaps. Using a skewer, gently run it through the filling, creating a marbled effect.
Place cheesecake on a baking tray, on the lowest shelf of preheated oven and bake for 1 hour or until cheesecake is just set. Remove from oven and allow to cool, before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.