Instructions

• Put 250g biscuits (or graham crackers) in a food processor and grind to fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 40g cocoa.
• Melt 100g butter over low heat and pour it over the crumb mixture. Mix until the crumbs are sandy and hold together when pressed. If the dough is too dry, add 2–3 tablespoons of the 50ml milk (reserve any unused milk for the chocolate).
• Line an 18–20cm round baking pan with baking paper. Press the crumb mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.
• Wash and pit 100g sour cherries (or cherries). Set them aside on a plate for step 6.
• Chop 200g dark chocolate. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl with the remaining milk (use whatever milk is left from the 50ml after step 2) and melt together over a double boiler or briefly in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Let the chocolate cool for about 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
• In a blender or food processor, combine 300ml sweet cooking cream, 400g cream cheese, 4 eggs, 150g sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the cooled melted chocolate and blend until fully incorporated.
• Place the 100g prepared cherries evenly over the chilled crust (you do not need to arrange them precisely). Pour the chocolate-cheesecake filling over the cherries and level the top.
• Bake the cheesecake at 160°C for 1 hour. When baking is complete, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool (this helps reduce surface cracking). After about 2 hours, transfer the cheesecake (still in the pan) to the refrigerator.
• While the cheesecake cools, prepare the cherry jelly: wash and pit 200g sour cherries (or cherries). In a saucepan combine those cherries, 4 tablespoons sugar and 50ml of the 100ml water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5–10 minutes until the cherries are soft. Turn off the heat.
• Put 6g gelatin into the remaining 50ml cold water and let it bloom for 5 minutes. Pour the bloomed gelatin into the hot cherry mixture and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Let the mixture cool until it thickens slightly but remains pourable.
• After the cheesecake has been in the refrigerator at least 2 hours and the cherry jelly has cooled to a pourable but slightly thick consistency, pour the jelly over the cheesecake while it remains in the pan. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill overnight to set.
• The next day, whip 200ml whipping cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar until firm.
• Remove the cheesecake from the pan, transfer to a serving plate, spread or pipe the whipped cream on top and decorate with additional cherries or sour cherries as desired. Serve.