Indulgent Raisin And Kahlua Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 200 g pecan meal (7 ounces) or 200 g whole pecans
• 50 g butter, melted (1 3/4 ounces)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed to measure
• 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup plain flour or 1/4 cup gluten-free flour
• 1 cup golden raisin
• 1/2 cup kahlua or 1/2 cup other coffee liqueur
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 4 teaspoons gelatin
• 500 g cream cheese, softened (approx 1 pound)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 125 g dark chocolate, melted (4 ounces)
• 300 ml heavy cream (thickened cream, 10 fl.oz. or 1.2 cups)
• 300 ml heavy cream (thickened cream)
• 1 tablespoon kahlua or 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
• 3 tablespoons grated chocolate or 3 tablespoons chocolate curls, for decoration
• 14 pecans

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 180°c (300°f ) or 160°c (320°f ) if fan forced.
• 2 combine the golden raisins and the half cup of kahlua in a small bowl. cover in clingwrap. the raisins will absorb most of the liqueur. set aside.
• 3 grease and line the base and sides of a 22cm (8 2/3 inches) round springform round tin. a smaller tin will result in a higher cheesecake with a thicker base. a larger tin will have a very fine base and not be as tall.
• 4 combine all of the ingredients for the base in a bowl. mix with a spoon until thoroughly combined.
• 5 press the base mixture into the base of the prepared cake tin (do not press the mixture up the sides). press down firmly.
• 6 bake the base in a preheated oven 10 minutes. the base should not be a golden cover. remove from oven- cool and put aside, or refrigerate until required.
• 7 in a small bowl thoroughly mix the boiling water and the gelatine. stir until the gelatine dissolves. set aside.
• 8 beat the cream cheese with the brown sugar, until smooth and creamy. best to use electric beaters for this step.
• 9 add the gelatine mixture, the melted chocolate and any of the kahlua that you can drain from the soaking raisins, to the cream cheese mixture. beat well to combine.
• 10 in a separate bowl, beat the 300mls of cream until soft peaks form.
• 11 fold firstly the beaten cream into the cream cheese mixture. then lightly fold in the soaked golden raisins.
• 12 pour the cheese mixture over the base in the springform tin. level and smooth over the top of the cheesecake using a spoon. refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.
• 13 for the topping. whip the remaining 300mls cream with the tablespoon of kahlua, until thick.
• 14 spread the cream over the cooled cheesecake. sprinkle with chocolate and decorate the edges of the cheesecake with the additional pecans.