Chocolate Pear Cheesecake

17/11/2023

I can offer you an Italian version of the chocolate and pear cheesecake, a sweet and refined combination that pays homage to both pastry and seasonal fruit. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

For the base:

200 g of dry biscuits (like Digestive)
100 g of melted butter

For the cream:

300 g of dark chocolate
500 g of creamy cheese (like Philadelphia)
100 g of powdered sugar
3 eggs
1 sachet of vanillin

For the pears:

2 ripe but firm pears
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 small glass of liqueur of your choice (for example, brandy or rum)

Preparation

Start by preparing the base of the cheesecake by crushing the biscuits until they become a coarse flour and then mix them with the melted butter until you have a homogeneous mixture. Spread this mixture in a springform pan (preferably lined with parchment paper) pressing well to create a compact base. Put in the fridge to firm up for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the chocolate cream. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, being careful not to burn it, then let it cool down.
In a large bowl, work the creamy cheese with the powdered sugar and vanillin, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the melted chocolate and mix until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream.
Pour the chocolate cream over the biscuit base in the pan and level with a spatula.
Peel the pears, cut them in half and remove the core. Cut the pears into thin slices, drizzle with lemon juice, and sprinkle with sugar.
Arrange the pear slices on the surface of the cheesecake, creating a pattern of your choice.
Finally, bake the cheesecake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 40-45 minutes. The cheesecake is ready when the edges are well cooked but the center should still be slightly wobbly.
Once cooked, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool inside with the door slightly open to avoid temperature shocks that can cause cracks on the surface.
Before serving, you might garnish the cheesecake with a dusting of cocoa powder, or with a chocolate or caramel sauce.

Curiosity

The cheesecake is a dessert with ancient origins, but the version with creamy cheese, as we know it today, was developed in the United States. The chocolate and pear version is a rather modern and sophisticated interpretation, which plays on the combination of the bold sweetness of chocolate and the delicate and slightly tart sweetness of pears.

Remember to let the cheesecake cool down properly before cutting and serving it. Moreover, a night in the refrigerator can help the flavors settle, making the dessert even tastier. Have fun in the kitchen and enjoy your meal!