Lebkuchen Cheesecake Bars

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C (150 °C fan). Line a 15×10 cm square or rectangular tin with baking paper, leaving it hanging over two sides so you can lift the bars out later.

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2. Mix the ground almonds, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg in a bowl, then add the melted butter and honey and stir until it looks like damp sand. Tip it into the tin, press it down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon and bake in the oven for 10 min, until fragrant and golden at the edges.

   Add in this stepGround almonds 45 gPlain (all-purpose) flour 20 gBrown sugar 20 gGround cinnamon ¾ tspGround ginger ¼ tspGround cloves 1 pinchGround nutmeg 1 pinchUnsalted butter, melted 30 gHoney 1 tsp

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3. Beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the filling sugar for 2 min with a whisk or a mixer on low until smooth. Add the orange zest, vanilla and egg and mix only until combined; beating in lots of air makes the filling puff up and then crack. For half an egg, beat one and use half.

   Add in this stepCream cheese (room temperature) 120 gSugar (for the filling) 25 gEgg (room temperature) ½Finely grated orange zest ½ tspVanilla extract ¼ tsp

4. Pour the filling over the warm crust, tap the tin gently on the counter to release air bubbles and bake in the oven for 20 min, until the edges are set and the centre still wobbles slightly like jelly when you nudge the tin.

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5. Cool in the tin at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and chill for at least 2 h, so the centre sets firmly.

6. Chop the chocolate and melt it in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each. Drizzle it thinly over the cold cheesecake and scatter with the chopped candied peel. Lift it out using the paper and cut into 4 bars with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry.

   Add in this stepDark chocolate 20 gCandied orange peel 10 g