Black & white cheesecake

After the main dish, it is time to have a wonderful dessert.

Cheesecake is a diner classic, and this one is a hot favourite at San Francisco’s famous Fog City Diner. Begin this recipe a day ahead.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200g sour cream or creme fraiche (see Notes)
• 600g cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 200g caster sugar
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 1 tbs grated orange or lemon zest
• 3 large eggs

• Biscuit base

• 300g digestive biscuits, finely crushed
• 125g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbs cocoa powder, plus extra to dust

Method

1. Grease a 23cm springform cake pan. For the base, process biscuit, butter, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt in a food processor until you have moist crumbs. Tip into the cake pan and press firmly over the base and 5cm up the sides. Refrigerate while making the filling.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C.
3. Heat chocolate and half the sour cream in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, caster sugar and remaining sour cream until smooth. Beat in the plain flour and orange or lemon zest, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Pour two-thirds of the cream cheese mixture into the crust.
5. Whisk the melted chocolate cream into the remaining cream cheese mixture until smooth. Using a soup ladle, pour the chocolate filling over the vanilla filling until you reach the top of the crust.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the centre is just firm and the top is lightly golden – it will split slightly. Cool, then refrigerate overnight before serving. Dust with cocoa powder, use a hot knife to slice the cheesecake and serve.