No-Bake Cheesecake with Amaretti di Matilde Macaroons and Chocolate

For the base:

150g Amaretti  macaroons

100g butter

For the cheesecake cream:

90g sugar

25g water

52g yolk

9g powder gelatine (in 45g water)

250g creamy fresh cheese

300g cream

For the dark chocolate ganache:

100g bitter chocolate

100g cream

To garnish:

Amaretti  macaroons

whipped cream

Start preparing the chocolate cheesecake base blending the macaroons.  Blend the macaroons to a fine powder and pour them in a bowl.  Melt the butter in a pot and add it to the blended biscuits.

Take a hinge mould having a diameter of 18 centimetres and a height of 4 centimetres, and put an acetate strip on the bottom.  Alternatively, you can use a previously buttered mould.

Form a layer of biscuits and butter on the bottom of the mould and press it to have an even thickness using a spatula or the back of a spoon.  Put the macaroon base in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Then prepare the cheesecake cream; beat the egg yolks with an electric beater or in a planetary mixer.  Put water and sugar in a pot, bring the temperature to 118°C and pour the liquid on the egg yolks continuing to mix until the mixture is nice and even and the temperature has decreased.  This way, you have made the “pâte à bombe”.

In a pot, pour 45g of water and powder gelatine.  Allow the gelatine to absorb the water for about 10-15 minutes, then heat it up over low heat making sure that the gelatine melts without reaching the boiling point.

Put the cream and spreadable cheese in a bowl.  Whip with an electric beater.  Add this mixture to the pâte à bombe using a spatula and mixing gently from bottom to top.  Continue until you have an even cream.

Pour the cheesecake cream in the mould with the macaroon base.  You can use a pastry bag to speed up the operation.  Level the cream using a spatula or the back of a spoon.  Allow to rest in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

At this point, the only thing left is preparing the dark chocolate ganache.  Start chopping the chocolate.  In a pot, warm up the cream, bring to the boil and pour on the chocolate.  Mix until you obtain a perfect emulsion, then allow to cool down.

Pour the ganache on the cheesecake to form an even layer.  Allow the dessert to rest in the freezer for at least 1 hour to solidify the ganache.

Take the chocolate cheesecake out of the mould and put it on a serving dish.  Garnish arranging whole macaroons along the cake perimeter, alternating them with tufts of whipped cream. Put the dessert in the refrigerator for 2 hours to reach the optimal serving temperature.

Tips for your chocolate cheesecake

If you do not have the acetate strip, line the mould with baking paper. To avoid creases on the surface, brush some melted butter on the base and sides, then line the mould with paper trying to make it adhere as much as possible to it.  The taste of a dessert is determined by the ingredients selected: how can a chocolate cheesecake be made without the irresistible Amaretti  macaroons prepared with the new recipe?! They enrich the traditional macaroon flavour with brown sugar, Sicilian almonds and Italian cage free eggs.