A Chocolate Temptation

Decadent, dark and devilish this is the one you want to have a passionate love affair with.....of course I mean the chocolate! I stumbled across this recipe on a recent trip to Granada where a chef I met cooked it for me. I have to confess to not being a chocolate lover but was converted after one mouthful, this one has the x rating as far as I’m concerned: gooey, gorgeous and it makes you want more... the secret? - use a good quality chocolate that contains more than 70% cocoa solids and don’t worry if the cheesecake mix looks a little runny, it will set as it bakes. Great cut into squares but I do prefer it as a cake served with a soft vanilla ice cream, a truly wonderful chocolate experience!

Chocolate Brownie Raspberry Cheesecake

Makes about 15 squares or 1 cake
Preparation Time 25 mins
Cooking Time 45 mins

Ingredients
200g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
200g unsalted butter, softened
400g caster sugar
5 eggs
110g plain flour
400g cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
120g fresh raspberries

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line a 30 X 20cm rectangular cake tin. Or to make one cake, line a 20cm spring form cake tin.
3. Place the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water until melted, set aside to cool slightly.
4. Cream butter and 250g of the caster sugar until pale, then add three of the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
5. Stir in the melted chocolate, then fold in the flour.
6. Spread three quarters of the mixture into the lined tin.
7. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, remaining sugar and eggs and the vanilla extract until smooth, then spread over the chocolate base.
8. Dollop the remaining chocolate mixture over the cream cheese layer and use a fork to swirl the chocolate.
9. Push the raspberries into the top and bake for 40 – 45 mins. Allow to cool, then cut into squares, or if in a tin turn out, cool, before serving, dredge with icing sugar and decorate with raspberries.