Chocolate and ginger cookie cheesecake

I just love this very simple, yet decadent chocolate cake that smells and tastes like the festive season. A bit of cardamom, orange zest (always organic), vanilla, and ginger just make such a difference. And yes, those seasonal cookies, such as speculoos in France and Belgium or gingerbread from all over the world, make such a difference, especially if some cinnamon is added. You can serve it just like that or as we love to with some creme fraiche, orange confit, vanilla and rosemary, which is more for the look and some aroma. 

base:
290 g speculoos or gingerbread
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
130 g melted butter

filling:
140 g sweet cream
200 g milk chocolate
30 g cacao
800 g cream cheese, room temp
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 vanilla pod, seeds only
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/3 tsp cardamom
1 organic orange zest, grated
30 g cornstarch
140 g golden caster sugar
4 medium eggs, room temperature
140 g thick creme fraiche

top:
150 g creme fraiche
pinch of sea salt

Heat the oven to 200° from the top and bottom. Place the rack one level below the middle. Line the bottom of a 23 cm diameter cake pan with parchment paper. Prepare the base. 

Process the cookies until they are fine. Place in a bowl, add the butter, cinnamon, and salt, and mix. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

Heat the sweet cream. When almost bubbling, take off the heat, add the chocolate, and let stand for a minute. Then stir (I do this with a small hand whisk). Add the cacao and mix in. Set aside.

Place cream cheese, salt, vanilla, ginger, cardamom, and zest in a mixing bowl and beat for 1-2 mins. Add starch and sugar and beat for another 2 mins. Beating on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well, and scraping down the sides. Turn the mixer to low. Add cream and chocolate and mix well at low speed until incorporated, not longer.

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 140° and bake for 40-50 minutes. Check at 40 mins but not before. Jiggle the pan a bit - the center should be slightly loose. Take out and let cool until it reaches room temp. Only then, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours for the flavors to meld.

When cool, spread cream, and decorate with orange confit, rosemary, orange zest, and vanilla. 

Short video of making here