Chocolate Cheesecake with Edible Flowers

This chocolate cheesecake is a real cocoa hit, and with the sugared violas, it has a definite Spring vibe - especially with the hard light I used to give it that sunny atmosphere. 
I'll start with the cheesecake, and talk about the candied sugar flowers after. 
Choc Cheesecake:
You will need a loose bottomed tart tin 23-25 cm in diameter. (in these photos I made a mini 16cm version and halved the ingredients)
350g digestive biscuits
100g unsalted butter
300g cream cheese
2 tblspoons caster sugar
250ml double cream
300g dark chocolate (70%)
Cocoa powder to decorate to taste.
Method:
pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas4
Whizz the biscuits in a food processor to make fine crumbs
Melt the butter in a saucepan and then stir in the biscuit crumbs
Spoon into the tart tin and press with the back of a spoon until firm.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and 250ml of double cream until smooth.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Fold the melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture and then pour into the cooled tart case over the biscuit base.
Leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set. 
When ready to serve, sift cocoa powder over the surface to cover and then sprinkle with the preserved flowers (see below)

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To make the cristalised flowers, use only edible flowers (pansies, primroses, violas or edible roses for instance) Ensure they are pesticide free (preferabley from your garden) 
Ingredients:
1 egg white, lightly beaten
A small bowl of fine caster sugar
Flower heads
Whisk one egg white in a small bowl, just to make it slightly bubbly. Using a paintbrush, apply it to your petals (pluck the flower heads from the stems) and place on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Sprinkle with caster sugar and leave to dry overnight. They will have a papery feel once dried and taste sweet, and feel slightly crunchy. 
They can be stored in an airtight container once dry and used as desired. They will last a week or two like this.