Ingredients

For the base

* 80g butter, diced, plus some extra for greasing
* 1 tbsp cocoa powder
* 225g plain chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed into crumbs

For the filling

* 2 eggs, separated
* 80g caster sugar
* 250g ricotta cheese
* 50 g ground almonds
* 2 tbsp amaretto (almond liqueur)
* 150ml double cream, whipped
* 80g white chocolate, melted
* 25g cocoa powder

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3.

2. Lightly grease a 20cm loose-bottomed round cake tin with butter.

3. Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder, making sure it dissolves. Tip in the crushed biscuits and mix thoroughly, then press the mixture down into the base of the tin and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

4. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is thick and creamy. Stir in the ricotta, ground almonds and Amaretto or brandy. Mix gently and when all the ingredients are incorporated, fold in the whipped cream.

5. Now mix half the mixture to the cooled, melted white chocolate and stir the cocoa powder into the other half. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff, and mix a tablespoon of this into each mixture to loosen it slightly. Now divide the rest of the egg white between the two mixtures and fold in gently.

6. Spoon the white chocolate mixture onto the biscuit base, leaving gaps for adding the dark chocolate mixture. Using a skewer, create a swirled effect with the two colours.

7. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours until the cheesecake is cooked. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Sift a little cocoa powder over the top followed by a light sprinkling of icing sugar.

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