Description
This Spiked Cherry Cheesecake is a decadent dessert featuring a rich chocolate biscuit base, creamy cream cheese and mascarpone filling, and topped with boozy black cherries in a luscious syrup. Perfect for special occasions, it combines the classic smooth texture of cheesecake with a delightful kick from amaretto, rum, or kirsch in the cherry topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 400g dark chocolate digestive biscuits
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 160g unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 560g full-fat cream cheese (Philadelphia)
- 100g mascarpone
- 200g caster sugar
- 90ml soured cream
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 50g plain flour
Topping
- 390g jar Opies black cherries with kirsch (from Tesco and Waitrose)
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- Splash of amaretto, rum, or kirsch
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Whizz the dark chocolate digestive biscuits and cocoa powder in a food processor until finely ground. Mix in the melted butter and press the mixture evenly into a greased 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Chill the base in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/gas mark 3) to prepare for baking the cheesecake.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese, mascarpone, caster sugar, soured cream, eggs, and vanilla bean paste until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Sift in the plain flour and gently fold it in until just combined to maintain a light texture.
- Bake the cheesecake: Pour the prepared filling over the chilled biscuit base and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the cheesecake has set and the top turns lightly golden. Leave the cheesecake to cool completely inside the oven to prevent cracking.
- Prepare the cherry topping: Drain the cherries from the jar, reserving the kirsch-infused syrup. In a saucepan, gently heat the reserved liquid together with caster sugar until it becomes syrupy. Remove from heat and allow it to cool before stirring in a splash of your preferred amaretto, rum, or kirsch.
- Assemble and serve: Once the cheesecake has cooled, arrange the cherries evenly over the top and drizzle with the cooled boozy syrup right before serving for an indulgent finish.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use full-fat cream cheese and mascarpone to achieve a rich, creamy texture.
- Chilling the biscuit base before adding the filling helps create a firm crust that holds the cheesecake well.
- Be careful not to overbake; the cheesecake should be just set with a slight wobble in the center when done.
- Use a loose-bottomed cake tin for easy removal of the cheesecake without damaging the edges.
- The boozy syrup adds extra depth but can be omitted or replaced with cherry juice for a non-alcoholic version.
- Allow the cheesecake to chill further in the fridge after cooling to enhance sliceability and flavor melding.
