Strawberry and chocolate cheesecake

17/11/2023

Here is a recipe for a delicious strawberry and chocolate cheesecake with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

250 g of chocolate biscuits
100 g of melted butter
500 g of cream cheese like Philadelphia
100 g of powdered sugar
200 ml of whipping cream
1 vanilla pod or a teaspoon of vanilla extract
300 g of fresh strawberries
150 g of dark chocolate
2 tablespoons of milk
Fresh strawberries for decorating
Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Preparation

Start by finely chopping the chocolate biscuits, then mix the crumbs with the melted butter until you achieve a homogeneous consistency.
Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper and spread the biscuit mixture, pressing it down well to form a compact base. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
In the meantime, in a bowl, blend the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and the seeds from the vanilla pod (or the extract).
In another bowl, whip the cream until it is firm and then fold it gently into the cream cheese mixture.
Spread the cream cheese filling over the biscuit base and level the surface. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
When the cheesecake is set, prepare the topping: wash and dry the strawberries, cut them into pieces and blend them to obtain a coulis. If necessary, add a little powdered sugar to sweeten it.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave with two tablespoons of milk, then let it cool slightly.
Pour the strawberry coulis over the cheesecake and then decorate with strands of melted chocolate.
Decorate with fresh strawberries and, if you like, some mint leaves for a touch of freshness.
Put it back in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

Curiosity

The cheesecake is a dessert with very ancient origins; it is thought to have been known by the Greeks. The modern version, especially the cold one made with cream cheese, became popular in the United States and from there began to spread around the world, accommodating the imagination of pastry chefs who have enriched it with various ingredients, as in the case of chocolate and strawberries.

To give an additional Italian touch to our version, you could add some amaretto liqueur to the cheese mixture to enhance the flavor.