Raspberry Pistachio Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Base:

200gm plain biscuits

100gm unsalted butter, melted

75gm dark chocolate

3T pistachios, chopped

Filling:

750gm cream cheese

1/2c icing sugar

1c cream

2t vanilla

2T lemon juice

1/2c finely chopped pistachios

Topping:

150gm dark chocolate, chopped

100gm unsalted butter

1T cream

Raspberries to decorate

Extra pistachios to decorate

Sea salt to sprinkle

Raspberry Sauce:

2c raspberries

3T sugar

1T lemon juice

2t cornflour

1T water

Method:

To make the base: 

Line the base and sides of a 20-21cm spring form tin. Melt the butter and chocolate together over a low heat.  Crush the biscuits finely. Stir in the melted chocolate, butter and pistachios. Press into the bottom of the lined tin.  Refrigerate until firm.

To make the filling:

Place the cream cheese and icing sugar into a cake mixer and whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and beat again until light and creamy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold into the cream cheese mixture with the pistachios. Tip the mixture onto the biscuit base and smooth the top with a knife. Refrigerate until set.

To make the topping: 

Gently heat the butter and cream together until melted. Pour over the chocolate and allow to sit for 5 mins.  Stir until smooth and pour over the cheesecake filling. Place in the fridge to set.

When ready to serve, unmould the cheesecake and place on serving platter.  Decorate with raspberries, pistachios and sea salt.  Serve with raspberry sauce.

To make the sauce:

Place the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil.  Mix the water and cornflour together.  Stir into the raspberries until thickened.  Set aside to cool.