Valentine's Day Cheesecake

To prepare the Valentine's Day cheesecake, start with the base: melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and let it cool. In a mixer, add the dry cookies and cocoa powder 1 and blend until powdered 2. Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the melted butter 3.

Mix well with a spoon to combine the mixture 4. Line a 6.5-inch diameter (4-inch height) springform pan with parchment paper; for the edges, you can use a strip of acetate. Pour the cookie mixture 5 and compact it with the back of a spoon to create a 3-inch high edge 6. Let it solidify in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: soak 14 g of gelatin sheets in cold water 7. In a bowl, work the mascarpone with the cream cheese with a whisk, then add the powdered sugar 8. Also add the fresh liquid cream, keeping aside 2 tablespoons (30 g) to dissolve the gelatin 9. Continue to work with the whisk until the cream is semi-whipped: at this point, the mixture will be consistent, smooth, and shiny.

In a saucepan, pour the 2 tablespoons (30 g) of fresh liquid cream and bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat and add the previously soaked gelatin 10. Stir 11 and let cool. Once cooled, add it to the mixture of cream, mascarpone, and cream cheese 12 and mix.

Grate the tonka bean 13 and mix again with the whisk 14. Meanwhile, the base will have solidified, so take it and pour the filling inside the shell. Level the cream 15 and let it firm again in the fridge for at least 40 minutes.

Move on to the coulis: soak the gelatin in cold water. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, add the raspberries 16, water 17, and sugar 18.

Turn on the heat to medium intensity, stirring occasionally 19. When the raspberries have wilted, strain the mixture 20, then add the drained and squeezed gelatin 21. Stir.

When the cake is well set, cover the surface with the coulis, leaving aside about 1/4 cup (50 g) 22. Place the dessert in the fridge for about 10 minutes 23. Whip the remaining 1/3 cup (70 g) of fresh cream for decoration and pour it into a piping bag with an 18 mm plain nozzle. When the coulis has set, gently remove the cake from the mold and place it on the serving dish. Decorate with whipped cream dollops 34.

Garnish every other whipped cream dollop with a raspberry 25. On the remaining dollops, create a small cavity with a teaspoon and fill it with the leftover coulis 26. Decorate as desired with sprinkles and another grating of tonka bean. Your Valentine's Day cheesecake is ready to be served 27!