Thursday, February 9, 2012

CHEESECAKE

Birthdays are important.
And I believe they should be celebrated.
Even if it's incredibly low-key. 

I never was able to figure out what B's favorite cake was.
BUT
he did drop "chocolate coffee cheesecake" in conversation.

So, of course I jumped on it. 
A little research, a new recipe, and a grocery list later
I started out making my very first Cheesecake.


And it turned out nicely.
Approved by B, his roommates, and a few of their friends. 
Besides, when you have one piece and are full, you know it's good. 

So, I present:
Chocolate Coffee Cheesecake with Mocha Sauce


Recipe from Southern Living 

Ingredients:
3 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers (about 20 sheets) 
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 
PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray 
4 (8-ounce) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 
1 cup DOMINO Granulated Sugar 
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs 
4 (1-ounce) bittersweet baking chocolate squares
Mocha Sauce

Preparation

 

1. Stir together crushed graham crackers and butter; press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch  springform pan coated with cooking spray.

2. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool crust in pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

3. Beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add coffee liqueur, coffee granules, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, beating at low speed until well blended. 
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition.

4. Remove and reserve 1 cup cream cheese mixture. Pour remaining batter into prepared crust.

5. Microwave chocolate squares in a medium-size glass bowl 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds; let cool slightly. Stir reserved 1 cup cream cheese mixture into melted chocolate, blending well. Spoon chocolate mixture in lines on top of batter in springform pan; gently swirl with a knife.


6. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

7. Remove sides of springform pan. Serve with Mocha Sauce.
 And to top it off, make the delicious, 
Ingredients
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder 
1 cup milk chocolate chips
( I only used 1/4 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, and 2 T of instant coffee since I didn't want to go out and buy espresso powder - B said he couldn't tell the difference) 
Preparation
1. In a microwave-safe container, heat cream until boiling. Stir in espresso powder until dissolved.
2. Pour chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Pour espresso cream on top and stir.
Easy peasy! 
I know I enjoyed taking a couple pieces to school for lunch. 
And that was after leaving several pieces in B's fridge to enjoy later. 

Overall opinion - I would definitely make Cheesecake again. 
Especially with coffee. 
And chocolate. 
MMMM!

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