Friday, August 5, 2011

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

My birthday was the 31st and I wasn't in the mood for just a regular cake.  I never make cheesecake because my husband doesn't care for it.  I figured the perfect time to make a dessert that I wanted was for my birthday and I didn't care if anyone else liked it.  This is actually my very first time making a cheesecake.  I love cheesecake, I just never make it because then I'd have an entire cheesecake that I'd have to eat all by myself.  So to keep my girlish figure, I say no to cheesecake.  But, not today!  This recipe was awesome.  It was super rich, a small slice was more than enough and went a long way.  It was creamy and delicious.  It is so unbelievably hot and humid here in Japan that the second I took it out of the fridge my ganache topping instantly started sweating so it was next to impossible to take a picture as it looked like my poor cheesecake had been rained on, so I had to just use the first one I took.  This cheesecake was totally worth making and I'd definitely eat it again.  My husband even really enjoyed it, though he didn't go back for seconds like he normally does.    

Crust: 

Cooking spray, for greasing
1 package chocolate stuffed oreos
1/2 stick melted butter

Filling:

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. cocoa powder
4 (8-oz.) packages room temp. cream cheese
4 eggs
1/2 tbsp. prepared coffee (*optional)

Glaze:

3/4 c. heavy cream
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tsp. honey
1 tbsp. prepared coffee(*optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with cooking spray.
For the crust: In a food processor, grind the cookies until finely ground. Add the melted butter and process until well blended; it should be the consistency of wet sand. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake just until set, about 5-6 minutes. Allow it to cool while preparing the filling. 


For the filling: Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute until the chocolate is completely melted.  Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and the cocoa powder together, smoothing out any lumps of cocoa powder. In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, and then add the sugar-cocoa powder mixture. Add the prepared coffee at this time, if using. Beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom with a rubber scraper when necessary.  Blend in the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the lukewarm chocolate and stir until combined.  Pour the filling over the cooled crust, tap the pan on the table top to remove any air pockets, and then smooth the top to even out. Bake until the center is just set and looks just dry, about 1 hour, rotating halfway. Cool 5 minutes. Run a knife around sides of the cake to loosen, but do not remove from the springform pan. Chill the cake in the refrigerator overnight. 



For the glaze: Stir the heavy cream, chopped chocolate, honey and prepared coffee in a heavy, medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2-inch of the cheesecake's edge and filling any cracks. Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.  Transfer the cheesecake to a platter and release from the springform pan. Serve cold, or allow to come to room temperature, about 2 hou

1 comment:

  1. This looks wonderful. I love cheesecake and chocolate so how could you go wrong. Thanks for sharing with my newbie party.

    ReplyDelete