“This has to be one of my wife’s favourite desserts of all time,” says Gino D’Acampo. “She is a huge cheesecake lover and I often catch her dunking one of these biscuits in her coffee, so I decided to come up with something that would combine them both and it was a great success.”

Biscoff and espresso cheesecake

Ingredients:(Serves 10-12)

250g Lotus Biscoff biscuits, plus 3 biscuits to decorate100g salted butter, melted300ml double cream80g icing sugar500g full-fat cream cheese2 tsp vanilla extract20ml strong espresso coffee10ml coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua150g Biscoff spread

For the coffee syrup:50ml strong espresso coffee50ml coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua50ml caster sugar

Method:

1. Crush the biscuits into crumbs by either using a food processor or putting them into a sealed food bag and, using a cooking hammer or rolling pin, smashing them until you get crumbs. Tip them into a medium-sized bowl with the melted butter and, using a flexible spatula, mix well, ensuring the butter has coated all the crumbs.

2. Pour into a loose-based cake tin – I used a deep tin with a diameter of 24cm and a depth of 6cm – and press down firmly over the base and sides, ensuring the sides are even, as that is the part you will see when the cheesecake is finished. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

3. Pour the cream and icing sugar into a large bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

4. In a separate large bowl, whisk the cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and use a spatula to mix.

5. Pour half the cream cheese filling into another large bowl. Add the coffee and liqueur to one bowl and use a spatula to mix gently until smooth in colour. Take out the biscuit base from the freezer and pour over the coffee cream mixture. Spread evenly using a spatula and return to the freezer for 10 minutes.

6. Place the Biscoff spread into the remaining cream cheese mixture and use a spatula to mix well, again until smooth in colour. Remove the biscuit base from the freezer and gently spread on top of the coffee cream mixture, creating a 2-layer cheesecake. The layers are very similar in colour, but the balance of flavours is perfect. Smooth the top and place in the fridge for at least 5 hours, allowing the cheesecake to set.

7. To make the syrup, pour all the syrup ingredients into a small saucepan and place over a medium heat. When bubbling, reduce the heat and simmer for about 6 minutes, creating a thick runny syrup, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. You can test it is ready by making sure it coats the back of a metal spoon. Pour into a small jug and allow to cool completely.

8. When ready to serve the cheesecake, drizzle over the coffee syrup and arrange 3 biscuits standing up in the centre. This will be OK to eat for 3 days if kept, covered, in the fridge…if it lasts that long.

Gino’s Italy: Like Mamma Used to Make By Gino D’Acampo is published by Bloomsbury, priced £25. Photography by Haarala Hamilton.