Chocolate Chips Cheesecake

How time flies! It's already into December, the last month of the year. I've always like December period. It's a month full of celebrations and feasting. And the weather is usually cooling, which makes one less temperamental and more happy. December is also the month where three of my children celebrate their birthdays, starting from my eldest son.

Baking a birthday cake for my eldest son is not so difficult. Every year, it's Oreo cheesecake, or some sort of cheesecake. He likes cheesecakes. So this year, we celebrated his birthday earlier together with his maternal grandparents, aunties and cousins. I baked a Chocolate Chips Cheesecake for him and he like it.

Happy birthday to my beloved son! Hope you'll be matured and successful in your endeavours!

Recipe for Chocolate Chips Cheesecake, modified from "Fantastic Cheesecake" by Alex Goh.

(Makes a 8" square cake)

Ingredients:

Cake base

2 x 120g Horlicks Biscuits, crushed finely

15g Cocoa powder

40g LIV unsalted butter, room temperature

Filling

500g Cream cheese

100g Caster sugar

20g Plain flour

2 Whole eggs

1 tbsp Lemon juice

1 Lemon zest, grated (I omitted this)

200g Whipping cream

100g Chocolate chips

Topping

200g Dark Chocolate, 55%, chopped coarsely (or use buttons)

200g Whipping Cream

Method:

1. Prepare an 8" (minimum 3" high) cake ring. Place baking paper below and secure it with a string. Put it on a baking tray.
2. Cake base: Mix all the ingredients well together and press them onto the bottom of the cake ring. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Filling: Cream cheese, sugar and flour until light. Add eggs one by one and cream until smooth.
4. Add lemon juice and lemon zest and cream till well combined.
5. Add whipping cream and mix well.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour the cheese filling onto the prepared biscuit base.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 150C for 55mins, or until almost set at the centre and slightly browned on top.
9. When it's baked, leave the oven door ajar and let it cool completely (overnight).
10. Topping: Heat whipping cream in a saucepan over low heat. Keep stirring until almost boil.
11. Then pour it over the dark chocolate in a mixing bowl. Let it sit for 1 min.
12. Stir and mix well, ensure all chocolates are melted.
13. Pour the ganache on the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate immediately (for at least 6 hours).
14. Remove the cake from the cake ring using a spatula. Smooth the sides, and serve.