Remember last time I told you about the chocolate fiesta that I threw in the kitchen?
Well, besides the chocolate cookies that I baked (that only got better with time, by the way), I also made a chocolate cheesecake. All in effort to touch the heart of a very special chocolate lover who resides with me :).
Cheesecake is the one think that I nailed since day 1. Yes, it has happened to have cracks, and in the beginning I had a lot of issues with an old oven, but despite the little bumps in my way, cheesecake has always been a success, taste and texture wise. Maybe, because I always treated it with respect and devotion, or maybe because, in reality, this is one of the easiest dessert to put together.
Seriously, there are only two things to keep in mind: everything must be at room temperature and you should not forget yourself with the mixer. Bake it in a moderate oven and you should be fine.
This time, however, I was going for a chocolate cheesecake. It was the first chocolate cheesecake for me, so I was a little intimidated and uneasy. I was worried weather the chocolate will mix smoothly with the cream cheese, and also if it wouldn’t be way to heavy and dense. My fears were in vain.
The cheesecake was perfectly smooth and creamy, not overly sweet and not too dense. It was just a delightful chocolate explosion for the palette. It was, in fact, richer than the plain version, but you don’t eat it every day, right? Besides a luscious dessert is what you are supposed to make for V day.
Crust
- ½ cup (115 gr.) butter
- 200 grams (7 oz.) plain cocoa cookies or chocolate wafers
- 2 tablespoons (30 gr.) sugar
- 1/2 scant cup (50 gr.) chopped walnuts, baked
- Melt the butter in a microwave oven at low heat, on 30 seconds intervals.
- Butter the bottom and the sides of a 25 cm. (10 inch) springform pan.
- Process the cookies in a food processor, or put them in a zip-lock ban and pound with a rolling pin until fine crumbs form.
- Combine the remaining butter with the cookie crumbs and walnuts, and mix until moistened.
- Press the mixture over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.
- Place in the freezer while preparing the cheesecake.
Cheesecake Filling
- 800 gr. (28 oz.) cream cheese
- 1 cup (200 gr.) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 200 gr. (7 oz.) sour cream
- 240 gr, (8,5 oz.) dark chocolate (I used 64%)
- 1 tablespoon (7 gr.) cocoa
- 55 gr. (2 oz.) white chocolate
- Take all ingredients out of the fridge 2 hours in advance.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°C).
- Place the cream cheese in a large bowl. Using a mixer on low speed beat the cram cheese until smooth.
- Add the sugar and vanilla extract, mix on low until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Beat in the eggs, one by one, until completely combined, but don’t over mix the filling.
- Fold in the sour cream into.
- Separate one cup of filling from the mixture.
- Melt the dark and white chocolate in separate bowls over hot water. Let he chocolates cool.
- Fold the white chocolate into the 1 cup separated filling.
- Fold the dark chocolate into the larger part of the filling.
- Pour the dark chocolate filling into the prepared pan.
- Spoon portions of the white chocolate mixture over the dark chocolate. Use a skewer or a toothpick and run it through the mixture to create marble effect on top.
- Cover the bottom and sides of the pan with several sheets of wide aluminum foil.
- Place the pan in a deep baking pan and fill with boiling water up to the middle of the springform pan.
- Place the cheesecake in the oven and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until the fillinf is set and no longer tacky when slightly touched, but sill a little wobbly in the center.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath. Run a thin knife between the crust and the sides of the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate over night.
- On the next day release the cheesecake from the springform pan. Serve plain or decorate as your heart desires. I used chocolate shavings and walnuts. The heart is from plain chocolate.
