S'more no bake cheesecake with s'more cocktails

If you were to ask my wife what her favourite sweet treat is, it's a cheesecake. But me, it's a s'more. I thought I would combine the two in an epic dance between sweet and delicious.

S'more no-bake cheesecake with s'more cocktails. Credit: Comfort Food With Spencer Watts

• serves

  6

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Biscuit base

• 2½ cups graham cracker crumbs (see Note)
• 115 g butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ tsp salt

Cheesecake

• 2 7g (¼ oz) packets gelatine powder
• ½ cup cold water
• 225 g (8 oz) semisweet chocolate
• 450 g (16 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 300 ml can sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup thick (heavy) cream
• 3 tsp chocolate liqueur

Ganache topping

• 225 g (8 oz) semisweet chocolate
• 240 ml (8 fl oz) heavy cream

Decoration

• Large marshmallows, torn in half
• Mini marshmallows
• Reserved biscuit base mixture
• Flaked salt

S’more cocktails

• Melted chocolate, for rim
• Reserved biscuit base mixture, for rim
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 30 ml chocolate liqueur
• ¼ cup vodka
• 3 tsp thick (heavy) cream
• 2 large marshmallows, on skewers, to garnish

Chilling time: 1 hour.

You will need a blow torch for finishing this recipe.

Instructions

1. For the base: To a medium-sized mixing bowl, add biscuit crumbs, melted butter, white sugar, and salt. Using fingers, mix until fully incorporated in a sand-like texture.
2. Line the bottom of a 20 cm (8” inch) round springform pan with baking (parchment) paper. Tip mixture, reserving about ½ cup, into the pan and press firmly into a base layer.
3. Next, melt chocolate for cheesecake and ganache at the same time over a double broiler, stirring frequently, until fully melted and silky. Remove from heat.
4. In a small bowl, sprinkle the 2 pouches of unflavoured gelatine over cold water and let it stand for 1 minute.
5. In a stand mixing bowl fitted with a paddle, add cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. Mix on medium until soft and creamy. Add chocolate liqueur and gelatin-water mixture and whip until incorporated and creamy. With the mixer on low, pour in half of the melted chocolate and continue mixing until soft and creamy.
6. Pour filling over base and tamp pan down on the counter a few times to release bubbles. Chill cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until set.
7. Rim two tumbler glasses by dipping in the melted chocolate and press into reserved graham cracker base. Set aside to allow chocolate to set.
8. Reheat the chocolate melting in the double broiler, stirring until silky. Pour in thick (heavy) cream and whisk until creamy and fully incorporated.
9. Remove springform pan collar from the chilled cake place on serving platter. Pour ganache topping over the top of the cake, allowing excess to drip down over the edges. Decorate with large, torn marshmallows, mini marshmallows, and sprinkle some of the remaining biscuit mixture.
10. Using a kitchen torch, toast and char marshmallows. Finish with a sprinkle of flaked salt and set aside to allow ganache to firm up and hug the marshmallows.
11. For the cocktails: To a cocktail shaker, add ice cubes, chocolate liqueur, vodka and cream. Shake vigorously and pour into prepared cocktail tumblers. Using a kitchen torch, char marshmallow garnish and lay skewer across each glass.
12. Serve cocktails alongside cheesecake.

Note

Graham cracker biscuits are available from specialty retailers. Substitute digestive biscuits, or plain biscuits such as Arnott’s Marie.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.