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Absolutely decadent, absolutely delicious,
absolutely a must-have cheesecake recipe.
Triple-Threat Cheesecake
- Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
Triple Threat Chocolate Sauce:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso or coffee
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- To Prepare Crust: Butter a 8 x 3-inch
springform pan. With the sides and bottom in place carefully
butter only the sides up to and including the inside of the rim.
- Place the graham cracker crumbs in a mixing
bowl and add the sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, and coffee. Stir with
a rubber spatula to mix. Add the butter, stir well. Evenly distribute
crumbs onto bottom of pan and press firmly to create an even
layer.
- Since the pan will be immersed in a water
bath it's important it's water tight. Tear off a large square
of wide heavy-duty aluminum foil place pan in the center of the
foil and with your hands bring up the sides of the foil on the
outside of the pan and press it firmly against the sides of the
pan.
- To Prepare Cheesecake Mixture: Adjust
a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat oven
to 350°F (175°C).
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer,
beat the cheese until it's soft and perfectly smooth, scraping
the bowl frequently with a rubber spatula. Do Not Underbeat at
this stage. Beat in the salt, vanilla and sugar. Beat well again,
scraping the bowl, for several minutes until thoroughly mixed.
Then at moderate speed add the eggs, one at a time, beating until
thoroughly incorporated after each addition. (Carefully not to
overbeat after adding eggs, the mixture should not become airy.)
Set aside.
- To Prepare Triple Threat Chocolate Sauce:
In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan place the cream, butter, unsweetened
chocolate and semisweet chocolate. Whisk occasionally over rather
low heat until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture
is perfectly smooth.
- This sauce must be used right away while
it's still warm because as it cools it becomes too thick to pour.
- To Assemble Cheesecake: First the cheese
mixture should be divided into three parts, one part equal to
half the mixture and the other two parts each equal to one quarter
of the mixture.
- Pour the larger amount of the cheese mixture
into the prepared springpan. Then with a fork, slowly drizzle
one of the parts of the chocolate sauce in a thin stream all
over the cheese mixture, in a crisscross design or in circles,
whatever pleases you. (Just be careful it doesn't come out in
large globs.) Cover the chocolate with one of the smaller parts
of the cheese mixture, again pouring slowly, all over -- not
in large globs. Repeat drizzling the second half of the chocolate.
And then repeat with the third and last part of the cheese mixture,
remember that it will be the top of the cake, and it will look
best if you don't allow any of the chocolate to show through.
It is a help to pour very slowly (however if a little bit of
chocolate does show through it's okay).
- Place the cake pan in a larger pan that
must not be deeper than the cake pan (1 1/2-inches is deep enough).
Pour hot water about 1-inch deep into the larger pan. Carefully
transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours. If after about 1
hour of baking the top seems to be browning too much carefully
lower the rack to the lowest position and continue baking. When
done the cake will be a beautiful, smooth medium-brown color.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully
remove the cake pan from the water and transfer it to a rack.
After about 20 minutes remove the foil. Let the pan stand on
the rack until it's completely cool, or for at least 4 to 5 hours.
Carefully release and remove the sides of the pan. Refrigerate
for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.
Makes 12 servings.
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