Deepest Darkest Chocolate Cheesecake
Recipe courtesy Anne Thornton
(9-inch) cheesecake.
Ingredients
Crust:
Cooking spray, for greasing
1 (9-ounce) package chocolate wafer cookies
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 stick butter, melted
Filling:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
Directions
1/2 tablespoon orange zest or 1/2 tablespoon prepared coffee or 2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional
4 eggs
Glaze:
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon prepared coffee
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. Blend in the sugar and salt. 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. (Or just place the cookie crumb-sugar mixture in the pan, pour the melted butter in and combine.) Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake just until set, about 7 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. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and cocoa powder together, smoothing out any lumps of cocoa powder. In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, and then add the sugar-cocoa powder mixture. Add the orange zest, prepared coffee or espresso powder 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 (jiggles like set gelatin) and looks just dry, about 1 hour 10 minutes, 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 hours.
Cook's Note: Make it minty by adding a few starlight mints or leftover candy cane to the food processor when crushing the cookies for the crust. Alternately, turn it into a turtle cheesecake by adding a handful of toasted pecans and a few soft caramel candies to the food processor when crushing the cookies
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Simply Delicious New York-Style Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005
Yield:10 to 12 servings
Ingredients
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 1/2 cups
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1/2 lemon, zested
1/2 orange, zested
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped from inside of pod and reserved
1 teaspoon bourbon
Strawberry Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and mix well. Press onto bottom of springform pan and bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. When completely cooled, butter the sides of the pan.
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups sugar, zests, and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. Add the flour, then the eggs and yolks 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream, vanilla bean seeds, and bourbon and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Wrap the pan in foil and place in a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to come half way up the sides of the pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer cake to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate cake overnight before serving. Cut into wedges and top with strawberry sauce.
Strawberry Sauce:
2 pints fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons kirsch or brandy
Combine berries, sugar, water and zest and cook until berries are soft and the liquid is thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kirsch or brandy and cook for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and let cool. Spoon on top of the cheesecake and serve.
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Ultra Creamy Deluxe Cheesecake
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 60 mins
Total time: 10 hours 10 mins
Serves: 16
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
•24 graham cracker squares (not rectangles), crushed
•3 tablespoons granulated sugar
•6 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
•5 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened (2 ½ pounds)
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/2 teaspoon orange extract
•1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
•1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
•3 tablespoons flour
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•5 medium size eggs at room temperature
•1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare crust ahead of time by mixing all ingredients together and pressing into bottom and slightly up sides of a buttered 9 inch round springform pan. Chill until ready to use.
3. Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until it is very soft and creamy. Try not to whip extra air into it. If you are using a standing mixer, use the paddle attachment and set it on a lower speed. If you are using a hand held mixer, use a low speed plus a mixing spoon.
4. Beat in the vanilla, orange and lemon extracts.
5. Stir sugar, flour and salt together in a separate bowl, then mix them (again, using lowest speed) into the cream cheese. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg. Add cream and stir or beat on low until it is incorporated. Pour the batter into the pan.
6. Set the pan in a cool spot and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Air bubbles will rise to the top during the standing period which will help the cheesecake bake up denser.
7. Bake the cheesecake on at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
8. After 15 minutes, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 200 degrees and set the timer for one hour. After cheesecake has baked for one hour at 200, turn off the oven and open the door slightly. Cake will appear wiggly and uncooked in the center, but the edge should be set. Let cool in the oven (door ajar) for 15 minutes. Transfer to counter and carefully loosen edges with a knife – this will help prevent cracking during cooling.
9. Cool on a rack at room temperature for about an hour. Transfer to refrigerator for the final chill. The cake should be ready to serve after 3 hours, but it’s better after 12, so if you can wait, then serve it on Day 2.
Notes
Cook time takes into account a thorough chill time. Cheesecake is usually better on Day 2.
The fine print: The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge. Please visit Jenny Bakes to see the original recipe for Abbey's infamous cheesecake.
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Brownie Bottom Latte Cheesecake (One 10-inch cheesecake)
Brownie Bottom Ingredients:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I like using 60-72%cacao)
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in 8 pieces
1 tbsp instant espresso powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Cheesecake Ingredients:
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup (8 fl oz) heavy cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
2 tsp finely ground espresso beans
Make the brownie bottom:
1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 10x3 inch springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and butter the parchment. Cut two or three 18-inch squares of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap the foil around the outside of the pan.
2. In a double boiler, heat the chocolate and butter until just melted. Add the espresso powder, vanilla and salt, Whisk in the sugar until well combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the flour until just incorporated.
3. Scrape batter in the prepared pan and smooth the batter into an even layer. Bake the brownie for 25 to 30 minutes until a tester inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Place the pan on a cooling rack while you make the filling. Increase oven temperature to 350F.
Make the cheesecake filling:
1. Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, espresso powder mixture, ground espresso beans and blend until smooth and creamy. Don’t overbeat.
2. Pour batter into your baked brownie bottom and gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. (The foil wrapped around the pan should help keep the water from seeping into the cake.)
3. Bake at 350F for 45 to 55 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still a little wobbly. You don't want the cheesecake to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let the cheesecake rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top.
4. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter (about 2 hours), and then cover and chill in the refrigerator. Chilling it for at least 4 hours before cutting is important. Otherwise the cheesecake won't be completely set and might be runny when you cut into it.
How to remove the cheesecake from the springform pan:
Run a thin bladed knife along the sides to loosen the cake from the pan. Undo the latch of the springform and remove the ring. Run a thin blade or spatula underneath the parchment paper to loosen the cheesecake from the bottom of the springform pan. I like to use an icing spatula for this. Now place a piece of parchment on top of the cheesecake and then place a plate on top of the parchment so that the cheesecake is sandwiched between the cake pan bottom and the parchment-plate. Invert. Remove the cake pan bottom and gently peel away the parchment from the brownie. Place your serving platter on the brownie and re-invert so that the cheesecake is right side up. Remove the plate and parchment from the top.
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Praline-Crusted Cheesecake
Yield: Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
2 cups crushed shortbread cookies (about 28 cookies)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
4 Pralines, coarsely crumbled
5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 (8-ounce) containers sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
Garnish: crumbled Pralines
Preparation
Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan.
Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle coarsely crumbled Pralines over crust.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Stir in whipping cream and lemon rind. Pour in crust. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350° on lower oven rack 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325,° and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until almost set. Cool on wire rack 1 hour.
Stir together sour cream and 1/3 cup sugar; spread over cheesecake.
Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. Remove sides of pan. Garnish, if desired.
Southern Living
NOVEMBER 1999
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Super Creamy Dreamy Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2pounds cream cheese
- 1cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2cup heavy cream
- 1/2cup sour cream
- 1 lemon grated zest
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Using a springform pan, coat bottom and sides with the unsalted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Tilt and tap the pan to spread the crumbs evenly over the bottom and sides. Any extra crumbs leave at the bottom of the pan as evenly as possible.
- Using foil, wrap the pan to make sure no water will enter the pan in the water bath, up the sides as well.
- Fill a pot up with water and bring to a boil while completing the next steps.
- In a large bowl, beat the 2 pounds cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Next, add the sugar and one at a time the 4 eggs.
- Beat until completely blended and smooth.
- Next, add heavy cream, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat on low until fully incorporated.
- Put the spring form pan into a large baking dish. Scrape the batter into the spring form pan.
- Next, put the baking dish onto the rack in the oven so that it will be in the middle of the oven.
- Next, fill the baking dish with the boiling water until its 1/2 way up the springform pan. Slowly push the rack back into the oven and close the door.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake look set but the center jiggles slightly when tapped.
- Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open slightly and let the cake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove the spring form pan from the water and let cool completely before unmolding. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (24 hours works best) before serving.
- Make a fruit sauce/coulis as a great accompaniment.
- As a topping, you can also whip together 1/2 cup cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 Tbsp of sugar and cover the top of the cheesecake.
1. Always use room temperature ingredients. NEVER over mix; incorporation of air your enemy - set your oven to 300 F
2. Place your cheesecake in a water bath. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. Turn off the oven and open the door, allow the cheesecake to rest for 30 minutes, sitting in the oven.
4. After the thirty minute rest, carefully close the door, and set the oven to 300 F again. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes
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Perfect Cheesecake
Perfect Cheesecake Recipe Cook time: 3 hours
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups of Graham cracker crumbs (from a little less than 2 packages Graham crackers
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- Pinch salt
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter (if using salted butter, omit the pinch of salt), melted
- 2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 12 ounces fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 9-inch, 2 3/4-inch high springform pan
- Heavy-duty, 18-inch wide aluminum foil
- A large, high-sided roasting pan
Prepare the crust
1 Prepare the springform pan so that no water leaks into it while cooking.* Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan, and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.
2 Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Use your (clean) hands to stir in the melted butter.
3 Put all but 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. (Save the remaining 1/4 cup for if you happen to have any holes that need to be filled in, either while you are making the crust, or after the cake has cooked and you've unmolded it.) Gently press down on the crumbs using your fingers, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe just a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan. Be careful as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Make the filling
4 Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and creamy. Add the sugar, beat for 4 minutes more. Add the salt and vanilla, beating after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that paddle attachment has failed to incorporate.
Cook the cheesecake
5 Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake, pouring until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) Cook at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours.
6 Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door 1-inch, and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for another hour. This gentle cooling will help prevent the cheesecake surface from cracking.
7 Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
Prepare sour cream topping
8 Place sour cream in a medium sized bowl, stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth. Chill until you are ready to serve the cake.
Note that this recipe produces enough sour cream topping for a thick topping and some extra to spoon over individual pieces of cheesecake, if desired. If you would like a thinner layer of topping and no extra, reduce the sour cream topping ingredients in half.
Prepare the raspberry sauce
9 Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to mash the raspberries. Heat on medium, whisking, about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Let cool.
Prepare the cake to serve
10 Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from the sides of the pan, and place the cake on your cake serving dish. Run the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cake and the pan. Dorie recommends, and we've done with success, that you use a hair dryer to heat the sides of the pan to make it easier to remove. Open the springform latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread the top with the sour cream mixture. Serve plain or drizzled with raspberry sauce.
Yield: Makes 16 servings.
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