Peppermint Meringue Choc Cheesecake

Ingredients

Base:

250g chocolate shortbread biscuits

100g Westgold Unsalted Butter, melted

Filling:

500g cream cheese (room temp)

150g icing sugar

30g Dutch cocoa

350g 70% dark chocolate, chopped

150ml hot cream

250ml cream, lightly whipped

Ganache topping:

175g 50% dark chocolate, chopped

⅔ C hot cream

40g Westgold Unsalted Butter, soft

2½ tsp peppermint essence

Meringues:

85ml egg whites

100g caster sugar

50g icing sugar

1 ½ tsp peppermint essence

2 drops red gel colouring

2 mint candy canes (for decoration)

Method

Base:

Line the base and sides of a 23cm loose bottom tin with baking paper.

Blend the chocolate biscuits into fine crumbs, add melted butter, and blend until combined.

Tip the mixture into the tin, spread evenly on the bottom, and press gently. Place in the fridge while preparing the filling.

Filling:

Melt the dark chocolate and 150ml cream together, stirring until smooth. Using an electric beater, whip the cream cheese, icing sugar, and cocoa until smooth and whipped.

Fold in the melted chocolate and cream. Gently fold in the lightly whipped cream. Spoon the mixture onto the cold biscuit base and smooth over the top. Refrigerate to set.

Ganache topping:

Melt the chocolate and cream together, stirring until smooth. Stir in the butter and peppermint essence, then spread over the cheesecake. Refrigerate until set.

Meringues:

Preheat the oven to 120°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Slowly add caster sugar until dissolved and the meringue is glossy.

Add icing sugar through a sieve, then add peppermint essence and gently fold in. Put a plain piping nozzle in the piping bag and drip little dots of red gel colouring around the inside of the piping bag.

Spoon in the meringue. Pipe an array of different meringue sizes as desired.

Bake for 2 hours until the biggest meringues are dry and crisp inside. Cool and keep in an airtight container.

To finish the cheesecake:

Take the cheesecake out of the fridge 2-3 hours before serving. Remove from the tin and peel away the paper. Place on a serving plate.

Crush the large meringues into pieces and sprinkle over the top of the cheesecake with the little droplet meringues.

Sprinkle over crushed candy canes.

Serve and enjoy!

Note: Use a knife dipped in hot water to cut into slices. It is very rich, so cut into small pieces.