CHOCOLATE SPONGE CHEESECAKE

• 1 packet sponge mix 
• 3 tablespoons cocoa 
• 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur ( Tia Maria or Kahlua ) 
• 1 tablespoon milk 
• 250g packet cream cheese 
• ½ cup sugar 
• 1 egg 
• 3 teaspoons gelatine 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 3 tablespoons coffee liqueur, extra 
• 300ml jars of thickened cream 
• 2 teaspoons cocos, extra 
• 2 teaspoons icing sugar
•  60g flaked almonds 

CHOCOLATE SPONGE CHEESECAKE RECIPE:

Make a sponge according to the directions on the packet, but add sifted cocoa before starting to beat. Pour mixture into greased deep round 20cm cake and bake in a moderate oven for 40 minutes turn onto a wire rack to cool. When the cake is cold, cut two very thin slices from the base of the cake; the slices need to be about 5mm in thickness Remaining cake can be frozen for future use. Use the base of a deep round 18cm cake tin as a guide and trim both layers of cake to this size. Line the base and side of this 18cm tin with strips of aluminum foil bringing foil over the sides of the tin to make the cake easy to remove. Place one layer of cake into a tin, and brush with half the combined Tia Maria and milk. 

Have cream cheese at room temperature. Combine in a small basin of an electric mixer with sugar and egg. beat until smooth Sprinkle gelatine over water, dissolve over hot water add extra Tia Maria to gelatine mixture, add to cream cheese mixture, beat in cream until just combined. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cake, place the remaining layer of cake on top brush with the remaining Tia Maria and milk mixture, and refrigerate several hours or overnight until set. Remove from tin, and place on serving plate. Dust top with combined sifted extra cocoa and icing sugar, and press toasted almonds around the side 

To toast almonds: Place almonds on the oven tray, and bake in a moderate oven for minutes or until golden brown, cool before using

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