Blackberry and chocolate cheesecake

Name: Blackberry and chocolate cheesecake
Ingredients: 200 g biscuits; 100 g butter; 500 g blackberries; 100 g sugar; 500 g mascarpone; 80 ml whipping cream; 20 g gelatin; 100 ml cold water; 70 g dark chocolate; 120 ml whipping cream; 50 g blackberries

Dessert - Blackberry and chocolate cheesecake by Beatrice B. - Recipia

Blackberry and chocolate cheesecake is served chilled, after the mascarpone and blackberry cream has set over the biscuit base. Chocolate ganache covers the top, and the slices have a firm base and a creamy middle; I choose ripe, still-firm blackberries so I can press them through a sieve easily without them releasing too much juice. Prep: 30 minutes. Cook: 17 minutes. Rest: 2 hours and 10 minutes. Total time: 2 hours and 57 minutes. Servings: 8. Approximately 690 kcal and 9 g of protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the base

200 g biscuits
100 g butter

For the blackberry cream

500 g blackberries
100 g sugar
500 g mascarpone
80 ml whipping cream
20 g gelatin
100 ml cold water

For decorating

70 g dark chocolate
120 ml whipping cream
50 g blackberries

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes, until liquid. Crush the biscuits, mix them with the butter and press the mixture into a 20 cm cake tin or ring set on a platter. Refrigerate the base. 2. Boil the blackberries with 3 tablespoons of the sugar for 10 minutes, until softened and bubbling. Put them in a sieve and leave to cool, then mash them with a fork to remove the seeds. 3. Grind the remaining sugar and beat it with the mascarpone. Add the blackberry purée and beat until the cream is an even color. 4. Whip 80 ml of the cream to soft peaks, then fold it into the blackberry cream. 5. Soak the gelatin in 100 ml of cold water for 10 minutes. Melt it over a double boiler for 3 minutes, until liquid, then leave it to cool slightly. Stir a few spoonfuls of the blackberry cream into it. 6. Fold the gelatin mixture into the remaining cream and pour it over the biscuit base. Chill. 7. Heat 70 ml of the cream for 2 minutes, until it reaches boiling point. Add the chopped dark chocolate and stir until smooth to make a ganache. Leave it to cool, then pour it over the blackberry cream. 8. Chill the cheesecake for 2-3 hours or overnight, until the cream has set. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the tin before removing the ring. 9. Whip the remaining cream and use it to decorate, along with the blackberries.

Notes

Cut into chilled slices and serve with black coffee. For a blackberry layer without too many seeds, choose ripe but firm fruit. Frozen blackberries can go straight into the pan, but they release more juice; cook them until the liquid has reduced and the fruit has softened. For a gluten-free base, use 200 g of gluten-free biscuits; the dessert contains dairy and gelatin of animal origin. Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and it can be made the night before.

Frequently asked questions

Can mascarpone be replaced with cream cheese?

Yes, use 500 g of full-fat cream cheese and leave it at room temperature for 20 minutes before beating.

What should I do if gelatin lumps remain in the cream?

Stir 2 tablespoons of blackberry cream into the melted gelatin before adding it to the rest of the cream; if it has already set, warm it gently over a double boiler.

What should I do if the filling is still soft after chilling?

Leave it in the refrigerator for 6 hours in total. The cream should feel firm to the touch before you remove the ring.

What chocolate works for the ganache?

Choose dark chocolate with 60-70% cocoa; chocolate with a higher cocoa content can make the ganache firmer and more bitter.

How stiff should I whip the cream for decorating?

Whip the remaining 50 ml until it holds soft peaks, then stop the mixer so it stays easy to spread.