• For the base
• 125 gm (8 large or 10 regular) Digestive biscuits
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 60 gm (1/4 cup) butter at room temperature
• For the cake filling
• 5 gm (5 tbsp) agar agar or chinagrass (I used 1-1/2 teaspoons Gelatin)
• 250 ml (1 cup) water (I used 1/2 cup)
• 500 gm (2 cups) mascarpone cheese
• 160 gm (1 cup) icing sugar or confectioners sugar
• 200 gm (3/4 cup) thick yogurt
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 250 gm dark chocolate (1- 1/2 cups) chopped or semi sweet chocolate chips + 2 tbsp butter

Place the biscuits in a zip loc pouch, seal it and with the help of a rolling pin, crush the biscuits to a fine powder.

Alternatively, process the biscuits in a food processor until they turn into a fine powder.

Put the biscuit powder in a mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder, the butter (at room temperature) and mix with your finger tips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

Ensure that the butter is well mixed into the biscuit powder. Alternatively, make this in a food processor.

Press this mixture over a the base of a deep 8” (20 cm) or regular 9” (23 cm) spring form pan or a pan with a detachable base. Refrigerate for half an hour or place in the deep freezer for 10 min.

If the china grass is in bars, process it into flakes in a blender.

Place the chinagrass in a bowl of water (1 cup, 250 ml) and allow it to soak while you prepare the other ingredients for the filling (If using gelatin powder, sprinkle them in 1/2 cup cold water and keep aside for 5 minutes).

In a large bowl, with a wire whisk or a hand blender, beat the mascarpone, sugar & yogurt until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla, mix well and keep aside.

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler. Allow it to cool slightly and then slowly stir it into the mascarpone mixture and mix well.

Place the chinagrass with the water and allow it to melt, stirring all the while, over a low flame (If using gelatin, heat the gelatin in a double boiler on low heat till it melts).

Once it melts completely, pour it over a strainer into the cheese-chocolate mixture, stirring the cheese mixture all the while.

It is important to keep stirring the cheese mixture as china grass sets very fast and we need to prevent the formation of tiny lumps. Immediately pour the prepared mixture into the prepared crust.

Allow to set in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serving. Garnish with grated chocolate if desired.

by Pak101.com (few years ago!) / 741 views