David Mendes’s white chocolate cheesecake

Method
Preheat the oven to 110°C. Crush the biscuits finely, preferably in a food processor, and mix with the melted butter.

Press the mixture firmly into a 18cm cake ring/tin.

Using the paddle attachment of a food mixer mix the cheese, sugar and vanilla slowly until the cheese is smooth. Add the eggs, making sure they are well incorporated into the mixture.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over just simmering water. Once melted, take the bowl off the pan.
Make a chocolate ganache by bringing the cream to the boil and adding one third at a time to the melted chocolate. Mix with a rubber spatula.

Use the spatula to mix one third of the cheese mixture into the ganache. Pour it all back into the cheese mixture. Mix gently using a whisk to disperse lumps. Pour onto the base and bake for 50 minutes (20 minutes if baking mini versions), then turn off the oven leaving the door half open.

Whisk the topping ingredients together.

After 10 minutes take the cake out and let it cool and set for 10 minutes before spreading on the topping. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.