PHOODIE’S ‘DOUBLE DECKER’ TIM TAM CHEESECAKE (That should really just be a ‘single-decker!’) 17

 

Everyone has disasters in the kitchen at some point or another.

EVERYONE.

Whether your disasters happen daily or the last one you had was 10 years ago, everyone has had at least one in their lives.

And if you haven’t, then you probably order too much take-away food!

Or maybe It really IS just me!?

I have them ALL THE TIME. Generally they aren’t on a mega scale i.e the food is pretty much always edible after the disaster but that said, they are “disasters” none the less.

My birthday cake this year definitely fell into that category.

The plan was to create a double decker Tim Tam cheesecake that would wow and excite both the guests at my joint birthday dinner (My SIL and I have the same birthday and her and my bro were hosting us all for the night!), and myself.

I knew this cheesecake recipe was a winner but I had NEVER attempted to stack two of them on top of each other AND I WILL NEVER ATTEMPT TO DO IT AGAIN. And neither should you. Because it WILL NOT WORK.

It will collapse.

I repeat, it WILL collapse.

This is not a baked cheesecake, it’s a set one, so it is not as firm as one that comes from the oven. In addition, there is NO gelatine and there are NO eggs involved so it really does lean to the “soft side” when it comes to cakes made from cream cheese. This is fine in terms of it’s taste and flavour, actually the fact that I am not eating raw egg and gelatine AND that I don’t have to bake it is what I LOVE about this recipe. I just have to accept the downside, which is that I cannot realise my double-decker dream using these ingredients and this method.

After making two of these Tim Tam cheesecakes and taking them out of the fridge I could tell STRAIGHT AWAY that the stacking gig just wasn’t gonna happen… but I tried nonetheless.. how could I not?! I whipped my camera out, took one photo (which is hidden right down at the very bottom of the post because it is UGLY) and then swiftly unstacked and served them individually!

SO……. the message from this is as follows:

Please go ahead and make this cheesecake because it is SO easy and RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS, but please do not simply read the title of this post (can’t let go of my dream completely, have to still call the post “double decker”) and run off and make two and stack them!

Because they WILL collapse.

INGREDIENTS

(To make one 20cm diameter cheesecake)

The Base

250g Arnott’s Tim Tam biscuits

85g butter, melted

The Filling

420g cream cheese, room temp

395g tin, sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup thickened cream

100g (half pack) Tim Tam biscuits, chopped roughly

The Topping

200g dark chocolate pieces

100ml thickened cream

100g (half pack) Tim Tam biscuits, chopped roughly

METHOD

1) In a food processor blitz the Tim Tams until they reach dry sand consistency. Combine them in a bow with the melted butter.

2) Transfer to baking paper lined spring form tin and press into the base evenly using fingertips. Place in fridge.

3) In an electric mixer, on medium-high speed beat the cream cheese until smooth.

4) Slowly add in the condensed milk and cream whilst mixer continues on medium speed.

5) Stir thorough chopped Tim Tam biscuits with a wooden spoon or spatula.

6) Add filling to cheesecake base, smooth with spatula and set in fridge overnight or for at least 5 hours.

7) When the cheesecake is set – i.e. 5 hours later or the next day – Place the dark chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave for approx 30 seconds. Do this in 3 ten second bursts to ensure chocolate doesn’t burn. Stir to combine melted ingredients.

8) Pour chocolate ganache topping over set cheesecake and spread evenly with a spatula.

9) Immediately sprinkle remaining chopped Tim Tams over the ganache. Place in fridge for an hour (minimum) and then you will be ready to serve!