Reese’s peanut butter cheesecake

Peanut butter, chocolate, cheesecake and Reese’s cups – what’s not to love? This is a match made in heaven ;). A rich, creamy cheesecake topped with a light, slightly salty peanut butter mousse, finished with a layer of chocolate ganache and plenty of those irresistible Reese’s cups. It’s a real treat for peanut butter and chocolate lovers, and one that’s very hard to resist. Go on, try stopping at just one slice!

Ingredients for the biscuit base:

• 150 g digestive biscuits
• 80 g peanut butter

Place the biscuits and peanut butter in a food processor and blitz until the biscuits are finely crushed and the mixture resembles wet sand. If you don’t have a food processor, place the biscuits in a sturdy bag (a resealable one works well) and crush them thoroughly with a rolling pin. Then mix in the peanut butter.

Line the base of a 23 cm springform tin with baking paper. Tip in the biscuit mixture, spread it evenly and press firmly into the base. Bake at 175°C for approximately 12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

Wrap the outside of the tin twice with aluminium foil, as the cheesecake will be baked in a water bath*.

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 500 g full-fat or semi-fat curd cheese, passed through a meat grinder three times until smooth
• 250 ml double cream
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp plain flour

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the cheesecake filling ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix just until combined, or simply whisk together by hand. Do not overmix, as this will incorporate too much air into the mixture. An airy cheesecake will rise considerably in the oven and then sink as it cools. We want to avoid that – the baked cheesecake should have a lovely, level surface.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base and bake in a water bath* at 150°C for approximately 45 minutes. The entire surface should be set and feel firm to the touch. If necessary, extend the baking time slightly. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Ingredients for the peanut butter mousse:

• 250 g mascarpone, chilled
• 250 g peanut butter
• 60 g icing sugar
• 150 ml double cream, chilled
• a generous pinch of salt

Place the mascarpone and icing sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix briefly, just until combined. Add the peanut butter and mix again, just until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whip the double cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold it into the peanut butter mixture with a spatula until combined. Spread the peanut butter mousse over the cooled cheesecake and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 12 hours.

Once chilled, pour the chocolate ganache (recipe below) over the Reese’s cheesecake. While the ganache is still soft, arrange the Reese’s cups on top.

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache:

• 35 g milk chocolate, chopped
• 35 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 70 ml double cream

Place the cream in a small saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and leave for 2 minutes without stirring. Then stir until smooth. If necessary, pass through a sieve to remove any lumps. Leave to cool slightly and thicken.

You will also need:

• Reese’s cups, to decorate the top of the cheesecake

*The cheesecake is baked in a water bath. To do this, place the springform tin inside a larger tin or ovenproof dish. Pour boiling water into the larger dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake tin. The cheesecake then bakes surrounded by steam, in a very humid environment. This helps it bake evenly, including in the centre, prevents it from cracking and gives it a wonderfully smooth, creamy texture.

Enjoy!