my 'No Bake but Lots of Bash' cheesecake:

This recipe is for a cheesecake that I actually created. All by myself.

It was inspired by my mum. (Hi mum!)

To be honest - more than inspired by - it was necessitated by my mum - as she wasn't home when I called - urgently requiring her cheesecake recipe. So I had to improvise.

But this recipe is dedicated to my gorgeous, wise and inspirational friend, Nicole, for whose birthday it was ultimately refined and recorded.

It is rich and indulgent and in no way delicate... just what one would wish for in a cheesecake.

Ingredients:
250g (approx) plain biscuits. (In Germany Leibniz Butterkeks work well and I reckon Arnotts milk arrow-roots would do the trick in Oz.)
½ cup brown sugar.
250g butter (melted).
100g melted chocolate.
600g Philadelphia cream cheese.
300ml cream.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
⅓ cup castor sugar.
Shaved chocolate for decorating.

Method:
Place biscuits in a strong bag (I find a freezer bag works best) and bash with a mallet, wooden rolling-pin, or miniature cricket bat until finely crumbed. (Toddlers find this great fun.)

In a large bowl combine crumbs, melted butter and brown sugar.

Use a glass or mug to firmly press crumb mixture into a 26cm spring base cake-form - compacting up the sides to form a high crust.

Dribble melted chocolate over cake base and then chill well in the fridge.

In a large bowl (again) beat together the cream, vanilla and castor sugar until thick (but not stiff). Add the cream cheese and continue to beat until smooth an well combined.

Pour cheese mixture into the prepared base and chill till set.

Remove spring-form carefully (as it is inevitable that the sides will crumble a little) and decorate cake before serving with the chocolate shavings.

Happy Birthday Nicole!

May your day be filled with joy, laughter, wonderful surprises and moments of wanton abandon.

(that's not too much to ask for from a birthday now, is it?)