Making a cheesecake in a slice tin allows a standard recipe to be more easily served. This rich cheesecake gives younger family members a chance to decorate the squares as in our photo. Delicious hot or cold.

Ingredients

• 70 gram packet (¾ cup) hazelnuts, toasted and cooled
• 1 tblsp cocoa, sifted
• 1½ sheets frozen sweet short pastry, defrosted
• 2 eggs, separated
• 6 tblsp caster sugar (or ½ cup)
• 350 grams ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
• ½ cup mascarpone or sour cream
• ¼ cup cocoa, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tblsp hazelnut liqueur, optional
• whipped cream, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20x30cm slice tin.
2. Rub the cooled toasted hazelnuts betweeen your hands, allowing the skins to fall away. Chop the nuts very finely.
3. Gently knead the cocoa and 2 tblsp of the ground hazelnuts into the shortcrust pastry. Rolll out the pastry on a lightly floured board and use to line the base and sides of the prepared cake tin. Chill while making the filling.
4. Using an electric beater, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, ricotta or cottage cheese, mascarpone or sour cream, cocoa, vanilla essence, remaining hazelnuts and hazelnut liqueur, if using, until thick and smooth.
5. In a clean bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the pastry case and level with a spatula.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until firm to the touch. Cool for 30 minutes, then carefully remove from the tin. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar or cold. Whipped cream is a nice accompaniment, if wished.

Cooks Tips

To make your own ground hazelnuts, toast them in a 180ºC oven for 10 minutes or until lightly roasted. Cool, then rub between your hands to remove skins. Process the cooled nuts in a food processor until finely ground.

Do not chop the hazelnuts while they are still warm as they will become a paste rather than finely ground.

Allowing the cheesecake to stand before serving will ensure it sets and is therefore easier to cut neatly into squares to serve.

Hazelnuts have an affinity with chocolate, but you could also use almonds or macadamia nuts. Change the liqueur to suit the nut or try coffee or orange liqueur.