“This is a recipe from Great British Bake Off finalist Glenn Cosby and a very full-on decadent dessert – so a cheeky spoon of cold Greek yoghurt will help balance the sweetness”
Serves: 8-10
Preparation time 1 hour, plus chilling overnight
Cooking time 35 minutes
You will need a 23cm cake tin with a removable base, lined with baking paper
For the base
200g Oreo biscuits
1 tbsp caster sugar
30g salted butter, melted
For the filling
500g full-fat cream cheese
100g caster sugar
150ml double cream
4 eggs
300g dark 70% chocolate, melted
For the salted caramel
200g caster sugar
150g double cream
1 tsp sea-salt flakes
Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.
You’ll need to start with the tedious business of scraping off the cream from between the biscuits. Next, blitz them in a food processor. Mix with the sugar then pour in the melted butter and stir. Tip the mixture into the tin to cover the base.
Bake for 10 minutes in the oven, then allow to cool.
Place the cream cheese, sugar and cream in a bowl and combine, then add the eggs one at a time and continue to stir. You don’t want to whip it – use a mixer with a paddle attachment or a spatula, then pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine.
Pour the filling onto the cooked base and return to the oven for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Ideally it should chill in the fridge overnight.
To make the caramel, melt the caster sugar in a saucepan over a gentle heat, watching it constantly. Don’t use a wooden spoon, or anything else, or it will stick. Help it melt gently by swirling the pan.
Once the sugar has all melted into a golden caramel, carefully pour in the double cream. Use a wooden spoon or a spatula and stir it over a low heat until it forms a smooth sauce.
Add the salt and let it cool. When you are ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin and peel off the greaseproof paper. At the last minute, pour over the caramel sauce and watch it run.
“This rich and well-balanced chutney is amazing with savoury pies and cheeses, is super easy to make and keeps for months. Experiment with different types of chocolate for a stronger or more delicate flavour”
Makes four 200g jars
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 45 minutes
You will need four sterilised 200g jars
2 medium white onions
2 Braeburn or Cox apples, peeled and cored
2 William or Rocha pears, peeled
4 cloves of garlic
3 whole dried chillies
2 tbsp olive oil
250ml white wine vinegar
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
200g unrefined light muscovado sugar
½ tsp five spice
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
100g 70% dark chocolate
Chop the onions, apples, and pears into 1cm dice and place into a medium saucepan. Crush the garlic and add along with the chillies and olive oil.
Sauté until all the ingredients have softened – this will take 15 minutes.
Add the white wine vinegar, tomatoes, sugar, five spice, sea salt and pepper and simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes.
Take off the heat and add the chocolate, mixing until it is melted and smooth.
Fill the jars and label with the date so they can be enjoyed within six months.
“Store your finished chocolates in air-tight containers in a cool, dark place. Eat the truffles within seven days”
Makes 60 truffles
Preparation time 30 minutes
Chilling time 2 hours
You will need a large flat baking tray, greased
For the ganache
250ml whole milk
50g unrefined golden caster sugar
25g salted butter
2 thick slices of wholemeal bread, torn into pieces
500g milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
For the truffle coating
400g tempered dark chocolate
8 slices toasted brown bread, whizzed or crushed into breadcrumbs
50g cocoa powder
In a saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, butter and bread to a simmer and whisk until smooth.
Take off the heat and add the milk chocolate pieces, whisking until melted and glossy.
Pour into a tray and cool. Refrigerate for two hours.
Using your fingers, roll the truffles into balls. Dust your fingers with cocoa powder first, as the ganache is sticky.
Now roll the truffles in tempered dark chocolate then immediately roll through the breadcrumbs.
Leave the truffles to set for five minutes.
Editor: Emma Sleight / Photographer: Lisa Linder