Cherry Ripe Cheesecake

There is absolutely no reason why any of us shouldn't indulge in a spot of wicked eating from time to time, especially if it's your birthday. And there would be no excuses for not having your favourite chocolate treats, Cherry Ripes, more chocolate, cream cheese and more cream in your cake, if you were going to indulge anyways. You should do it the proper, wicked way!



So for my hubby's 34th birthday (and you think I wasn't going to reveal his age?), I made him a Cherry Ripe cheesecake, adapted from one of the Women's Weekly recipe book, Wicked Sweet Indulgences. This would be the second time I've made this cake, the first was also on his birthday some time ago.



Ripe Cherry Cheesecake
(Adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly, Wicked Sweet Indulgences)

Ingredients:

125g plain chocolate biscuits/plain sweet biscuits
75g butter, melted
500g cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
200g dark chocolate, melted
170g Cherry Ripe bars, chopped coarsely
425g can seeded black cherries in syrup, drained

Method:

1. Grease 24cm springform pan.

2. In a food processor, blend biscuits until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add in melted butter and process until just combined. Press biscuit mixture evenly onto the base and sides of the pan. Refridgerate for about 30 minutes, or until firm.

3. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well in between additions. Fold in melted chocolate, cherry ripes and cherries into the cheesecake mixture.

4. Spread mixture into the prepared cake pan, bake in preheated moderate oven for about 50 minutes or until set. Cool in the oven with door slightly ajar. Cover, and refridgerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

5. Decorate cake with freshly whipped cream and Cherry Ripe bites.



To decorate, simply whip fresh cream in the mixer at high speed with a tablespoon of icing sugar and a splash of rosewater essence (which went delightfully well with the cake!). Spoon whipped cream into a piping bag, or a ziplock back with a small cut on one of the corners. Recently I bought some disposable piping bags from the supermarket, which was made by GLAD. It came with 3 small plastic nozzles and 5 disposable bags. It was fantastic! And costs next to nothing. I've used up all the bags, but kept the nozzles and have reused them over and over again with ziplock bags.

Top with bite size Cherry Ripe pieces.



In moderation, these wicked little indulgences are actually quite good for the soul. So, relax a little, live a bit more and immerse yourself in this decadent sweet treat!