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Chocolate Cheesecake

by Nigella. Featured in FEAST

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Introduction

In the past, I've been apologetic about adulterating your basic cheescake, but I've moved on. This is exceptional: exactly the right balance between satiny sweetness and smooth tang. Regard the glaze as optional: it makes it into more of a dinner party thang, but there is no call to get busy if you'd rather not. A few raspberries alongside would be heavenly, but again, no need to bother adding a single thing.

And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

FEAST

2004

Buy Now

Chocolate Cheesecake — Photo by James Merrell

As featured in

FEAST

2004

Buy Now

Ingredients

Yields: 10-12 slices

Metric Cups

For the Base

125 grams digestive biscuits
60 grams butter
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

For the Filling

175 grams dark chocolate (chopped small)
500 grams cream cheese
150 grams caster sugar
1 tablespoon custard powder
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
150 millilitres sour cream (or just use a 142ml pot)
½ teaspoon cocoa powder (dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water)

For the Glaze (Optional)

75 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)
125 millilitres double cream
1 teaspoon golden syrup

For the Base

1⅓ cups graham crackers
½ stick butter
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

For the Filling

6⅙ ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped small)
2½ cups cream cheese
¾ cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon custard powder
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
⅔ cup sour cream (or just use a 142ml pot)
½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa (dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water)

For the Glaze (Optional)

2⅔ ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon golden syrup or light corn syrup

Method

To make the base, process the biscuits to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa.
Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin. Press the biscuit crumbs into the bottom of the tin to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180ºC/160°C Fan/350ºF. Put a kettle on to boil. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.
Beat the cream cheese to soften it, and then add the sugar and custard powder, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and the melted chocolate, and mix to a smooth batter.
Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of clingfilm, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.
Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just-boiled water to come about halfway up the cake tin, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.
Peel away the foil and clingfilm wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the fridge once it's no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with clingfilm, overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.
To make the chocolate glaze, very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and then Jackson Pollock it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate. Use the remaining glaze as an accompanying sauce.

To make the base, process the biscuits to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa.
Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin. Press the biscuit crumbs into the bottom of the tin to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180ºC/160°C Fan/350ºF. Put a kettle on to boil. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.
Beat the cream cheese to soften it, and then add the sugar and custard powder, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and the melted chocolate, and mix to a smooth batter.
Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of clingfilm, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.
Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just-boiled water to come about halfway up the cake tin, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.
Peel away the foil and clingfilm wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the fridge once it's no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with clingfilm, overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.
To make the chocolate glaze, very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and then Jackson Pollock it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate. Use the remaining glaze as an accompanying sauce.

Additional Information

For those who can’t get custard powder, you can use 1 tablespoon of cornflour/cornstarch plus ½ teaspoon vanilla extract instead.

We suggest that you take the cheesecake ingredients out of the fridge about an hour before you intend to make the cheesecake, so that they all come up to room temperature.

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The cheesecake will keep, covered, in the fridge for a total of 4 days. The ganache sauce will keep in the fridge in a resealable container for up to a week. Put in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot water to warm through.
The cheesecake can be frozen if made with full-fat cream cheese. Wrap the fully-cooled cheesecake (still in its tin) tightly in a double layer of food wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Unwrap, cover loosely and thaw for 24 hours in the fridge. The sauce can be frozen in a resealable container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm as above.

For those who can’t get custard powder, you can use 1 tablespoon of cornflour/cornstarch plus ½ teaspoon vanilla extract instead.

We suggest that you take the cheesecake ingredients out of the fridge about an hour before you intend to make the cheesecake, so that they all come up to room temperature.

Tell us what you think

What 16 Others have said

What an amazing tangy cheesecake recipe ideal for chocaholics, not too sweet a perfect combination of chocolate delight I too added a half a cup of espresso coffee to add to the deeper flavours it works out extremely well! Served with ganache topping strewn about the plate in a fashion that you find pleasing to the eye, serve with chocolate sauce Bailey's Irish liqueur cream mixed with whipped double cream or equally as fabulous with ice-cream . Enjoy xxx

Posted by Odelle on 17th November 2022
I made this for a family get-together last night and it was a hit - perfect silky decadence. Two tips: I added half a teaspoon of espresso powder in with the cocoa dissolved in water at the end - added great depth and darkness. Also instead of wrapping the tin to bake, I put it in a large roasting bag and trimmed the edges to fit - no chance of leaks sneaking in to layers of foil that way!

Posted by shlinki on 11th September 2022
This cheesecake is a stunner. The chocolate is present, but it doesn’t overwhelm. You get a great balance between rich, tangy, and slightly sweet. I think the “chocolate cake hall of fame” from Feast is one of the best moments in modern food writing. This cake is a shining example of those excellent recipes!

Posted by joshv41680 on 22nd October 2021
I made it with my husband and it is the best and easiest chocolate cheesecake recipe! It was a big hit at our friend's birthday/baby shower. We will most definitely be making it again :)

Posted by mylittleredvelvetcupcake on 25th September 2016
well, it was delicious!! i'm going to make it for xmas instead of yule log. thinking of adding some mincemeat to the mixture for a xmas tang, any comments on wether this will work gratefully received if not i'll do it and let you know happy xmas baking!!!

Posted by stellab on 19th December 2015
Well, it's out of the oven and set beautifully and smells lovely and choclatey!! so yogurt does work!! yummy!!! going to try some different flavours next time, watch this space!!!

Posted by stellab on 13th November 2015
just made this and it's cooking as i'm typing! didn't have sour cream so used yogurt instead! smells lovely, will let you know how it goes !!

Posted by stellab on 13th November 2015
This cheesecake is divine! I wouldn't class myself as a great baker but this was easily to follow and turned out fantastic! It even won me the office bake off! Thanks Nigella!

Posted by EmmaCooke1804 on 29th September 2014
The recipe you provided was very yummy! I tried it at home. Everyone liked it. Thank you for sharing! 

Posted by yelkotech on 25th June 2014
I was worried as the mixture was so runny, almost watery. But when it's baked & cooled it sets perfectly. I used Dark chocolate digestives as I had no cocoa powder. Delicious!

Posted by Bashcakes on 18th June 2014
made this the other day for a dinner party. I followed the recipe to the letter except i doubled the base as i prefer a thicker base - it turned out great! delicious with a real chocolately flavour. nigella's done it again!

Posted by bexterms on 2nd May 2014
Amazing recipe! I usually switch dark chocolate for orange chocolate and everyone always loves it!

Posted by lulu5164 on 13th December 2013