Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake - Guide Recipe
Every year I get really excited about making my own birthday cake. And every year , I spend nearly the entire month before my birthday agonizing over what cake to choose. There are so many options , and given the ridiculous amount of time I spend thinking about it , this is apparently a life or death decision. First I think cheesecake – then I think a more classic cake – then I think something extravagant , or something fun that no one else will ever ask me for – and then I go back to the beginning , and the cycle starts again. This year it got so bad that I finally decided to write all my choices on slips of paper , throw them on the floor and let Andrew pick one randomly. Incidentally , the very first option I had considered was this cheesecake , and it was the first slip of paper he picked up (…and then he tried to eat it.)
INGREDIENTS;
For the crust;
- 32 chocolate sandwich cookies , finely processed into crumbs
- 5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter , melted and cooled
- Small pinch of salt
For the ganache;
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 20 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate , finely chopped
- ¼ cup coffee flavored liqueur
For the filling;
- 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese , at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1½ tbsp. dark rum
- 2 tbsp. instant espresso powder
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1½ tsp. mild-flavored (light) molasses
- 3 large eggs
For the topping;
- 1½ cups sour cream
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS;
- To make the crust , butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs , melted butter and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides).
- Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Once the cream reaches a simmer , pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Add the coffee flavored liqueur and whisk in small circles until a smooth ganache has formed. Pour 2 cups of the ganache over the bottom of the crust. Freeze until the ganache layer is firm , about 30 minutes. Reserve the remaining ganache; cover and let stand at room temperature for later decorating.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment , beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended. Beat in the flour. In a small bowl , combine the rum , espresso powder , vanilla and molasses , stirring until the espresso powder dissolves. Add to the cream cheese mixture and beat until well incorporated , scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time , scraping down the bowl between each addition.
- Pour the filling over the cold ganache in the crust. Place the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the top is lightly browned , puffed and cracked at the edges , and the center moves only very slightly when the pan is lightly shaken , about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire cooling rack. Cool 15 minutes while preparing the topping (maintaining the oven temperature.)
- To make the topping , whisk together the sour cream , sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour the topping over the hot cheesecake , spreading to cover the filling completely. Bake until the topping is set , about 10-15 minutes. Return to the cooling rack and let cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and let cool at least 3 hours , until completely chilled and set.
- To finish , wrap a warm towel around the outside of the springform pan to help loosen the crust from the sides. Carefully remove the springform. Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Place the reserved ganache in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and use to garnish the top of the cake as desired. Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans as desired. Chill until the ganache is completely firm , at least 6 hours.
s: everydayannie.com
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