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Orange and Chocolate Cheesecake

17/11/2023

Orange and chocolate cheesecake is a delicious dessert that combines the freshness of citrus with the richness of chocolate. Here is a version with an Italian twist just for you.

Ingredients

For the base:

  • 200 g of dry biscuits (such as Digestive or similar like Oro Saiwa)
  • 100 g of melted butter

For the cream:

  • 500 g of spreadable cheese (such as Philadelphia)
  • 120 g of sugar
  • Grated zest of 1 orange (preferably organic)
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 100 g of dark chocolate

For the dark chocolate ganache:

  • 100 g of dark chocolate
  • 100 ml of fresh cream

Preparation

  1. Start by finely chopping the biscuits until you have a sandy consistency. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter to get a homogenous mixture.
  2. Line the bottom of a springform pan (22-24 cm in diameter) with parchment paper and press the biscuit mixture to create a firm base. Refrigerate to cool for about 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the cream: in a large bowl, blend the spreadable cheese with sugar until you get a smooth and lump-free consistency.
  4. Add the grated orange zest and juice, mixing well.
  5. Incorporate the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  6. Chop the dark chocolate and fold it gently into the mixture.
  7. Pour the cream over the cooled biscuit base and level with a spatula.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 160 °C for about 1 hour or until the cheesecake is set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center.
  9. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool down inside with the door slightly open to prevent cracks on the surface.
  10. Once cooled, prepare the ganache: melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or microwave, then mix with the fresh cream until you have a smooth cream.
  11. Pour the ganache over the cold cheesecake, leveling it to cover the entire surface.
  12. Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, to set the cheesecake well.

Curiosity

The cheesecake is a dessert whose origin is lost in the mists of time, with ancestors that date back to ancient Greece. Its popularity exploded in the United States, where it became a true emblem of American patisserie. The addition of typically Italian ingredients, such as orange (reminding of the Sicilian blood oranges) and dark chocolate (a classic of Italian chocolate art), makes this variant a perfect example of culinary fusion.

Orange and Chocolate Cheesecake