Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, about 20-22 wafers, ground (I use Oreos without the cream centers)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 T sugar
1/4 cup hot brewed coffee + 1/4 cup hot water
1/4 tsp salt
14 oz GODIVA 72% dark chocolate bars (qty 8 x 1.5 oz bars)
16 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE LAYER:
2 cups chilled heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
3 T sugar
1 tsp vanilla
7 oz fine quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped ( not unsweetened) a lighter chocolate than the chocolate used in the cheesecake
CHANTILLY CREAM TOPPING:
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 T granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
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Directions: |
Directions:Special equipment: 9” springform pan, a baking dish large enough that the springform pan will fit into and heavy duty wide foil.
Preheat oven to 325º
CHOCOLATE WAFER CRUST: I use Oreo cookies without the cream filling. Crush them with a rolling pin. (A little stress reliever, or you can use a food processor).
Tightly wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with a sheet of wide heavy duty aluminum foil. Mix cookie crumbs, melted butter, and 2 T granulated sugar in a bowl until combined. Press mixture onto the bottom of the 9” springform pan. Refrigerate crust while preparing the filling.
FILLING:
Dissolve salt in hot coffee/hot water mixture and set aside.
With a serrated knife, coarsely chop dark chocolate bars. Save 1/2 bar for garnishing the finished cake. Place chopped chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on med heat for 1 minute. Stir. Continue to heat in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Stir until smooth and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer at a low speed about 4 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup sugar and beat until blended, at least 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Reduce speed to low and slowly beat in the coffee mixture and vanilla. Drizzle in melted chocolate and beat until blended. Pour mixture onto prepared crust.
Place filled springform pan into a roasting pan, approximately 3” high. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan so that water comes halfway up the side of the springform pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until cheesecake is puffed and center is set, but slightly wobbly, edges may have tiny cracks. Turn the oven off. Leave the springform pan in the oven. Prop door open and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for one hour. Remove cheesecake from roasting pan. Cool the cheesecake completely in the pan on a wire rack. When cheesecake is cooled, cover the pan with foil and refrigerate overnight.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE LAYER:
Heat 3/4 cup cream in a heavy saucepan until hot. Whisk together yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add the hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and cook over moderate low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160ºF on a thermometer. Pour custard through a fine mesh sieve, (Not required if you were stirring constantly and you feel confident there are no lumps), into a bowl and stir in vanilla.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring constantly. ( Or you can melt in a glass bowl at 50% power, 3-5 minutes at 30 second intervals.
Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, then cool. Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it holds stiff peaks. Whisk 1/4 of the cream into the chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.
Spoon onto cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hrs.
CHANTILLY CREAM TOPPING:
Beat heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla in a small cold bowl with electric mixer at a medium speed for about 2-4 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Do not over beat.
Spread whipped cream over the chocolate mousse layer. Grate the remaining portion of the chocolate bar over the top of the whipped cream layer.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove from refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving. Remove springform sides before serving. |
This recipe for Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake is from