Frozen tiramisu cheesecake

Serves 10-12 Cakes, Bread and Pastries

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Method

Prepare a 20cm spring form cake tin, lining the base with baking paper. Crush the biscuits in a food processor until fine, transfer to a bowl and stir in the melted butter until combined. Reserve about 4tbsp of the biscuit crumb, then press the rest over the base and up the sides of the prepared tin, smoothing as flat as possible with a spoon. Chill for 15 minutes.

Stir together the espresso, Marsala and Tia Maria, if using, as well as 1tbsp of the caster sugar until dissolved. Reserve 60ml for flavouring the cheesecake mixture and place the remaining liquid in a shallow dish. Set both aside.

Place the eggs and remaining sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, then whisk over a pan of gently simmering water until pale, thick and doubled in volume. Place the mascarpone in a food mixer and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the egg yolk mixture and fold in the reserved 60ml of coffee liquid. Pour half the cheesecake mixture into the tin and freeze for 2 hours until firm.

Remove cake from the freezer. Dip the sponge fingers into the remaining coffee liquid for 2-3 seconds so they absorb well and arrange over the set cake layer, cutting to fit. Dust with a layer of cocoa powder. Pour over the remaining half of the cheesecake mixture and scatter the reserved chocolate crumbs over the top. Freeze overnight.

The next day, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until smooth. Pour onto a piece of marble or a clean baking tray and leave to set. Once just firm, shave into large shards.

Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and carefully unmold onto a serving plate. Whip the cream until stiff and spoon over the top of the cake, arrange the chocolate curls over the top and dust with icing sugar. Allow to soften for about 20-30 minutes and serve in wedges with a glass or two of Marsala or shots of espresso.