Chocolate Cheesecake With Saltine Cracker Crust Food

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. You'll be placing this pan in a water bath, so be sure the pan has been wrapped from every angle.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the crust completely. Leave the oven on.
• Fill a medium pot one-third full with water and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat.
• Place a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pan snugly, but will not touch the simmering water, on top of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate into the bowl over the pot. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a silicon spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside until needed.
• In the bowl of a food processor (or high-powered blender), pulse the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and cocoa powder and beat smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds.
• Remove the bowl from the food processor and, using a rubber spatula, stir the filling several times to ensure it's evenly blended.
• Scrape the filling over the partially baked crust in the prepared pan.
• Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set but still slightly jiggly. The cake will set completely as it cools.
• Remove the cake from the water bath and place the pan on a wire rack. Carefully loosen the foil, then immediately run the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan, to prevent the top from cracking. Cool completely (in the pan), then transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours before removing from the pan and slicing.
• Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl; set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a low simmer. Pour half of the cream on top of the chocolate pieces and set aside for 1 minute. With a whisk, begin to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream. Slowly add the remaining cream and continue carefully whisking until smooth and glossy.
• Add in the butter and use a spatula to stir until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will be dark and glossy. Set aside, at room temperature, until needed.
• Pour ganache over cooled cheesecake. Set aside until ganache is set, about 1 hour.
• To serve, slice the cheesecake with a thin-bladed sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut.
• Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

MARBLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the crust: In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into a 9-inch springform pan, pushing the crumbs up the sides. Put the pan in the freezer to chill.
• For the filling: Microwave the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Set aside.
• Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time until well combined. Mix in the cream. Transfer 2 to 3 cups of the batter to a smaller bowl and stir in the melted chocolate mixture. Pour the remaining batter into the chilled crust. Drizzle in the chocolate batter and swirl with a knife.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake until the outside is set and the very center just wobbles slightly, about another hour. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH GRAHAM CRACKER CRUNCH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter, and use fingers to mix well. Press firmly into prepared pan, evenly covering the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
• In a microwave or the top of a double boiler, heat sour cream and chocolate together just until chocolate is melted. Mix until smooth.
• In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth and fluffy, at least 2 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time. At low speed, gradually pour in chocolate mixture and mix until smooth.
• Pour filling over the crust in the pan and bake about 1 1/2 hours, until top is set and dry but still jiggles in the center when you shake the pan.
• Set aside to cool and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 days.
• For garnish, place graham crackers in a thick sealable plastic bag and crush, using your hands or a pot, into irregular crumbs. In a small skillet, melt butter until it foams. Add crumbs and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted and fragrant.
• When ready to serve, gently remove sides of springform pan. Serve chilled cheesecake in slices, sprinkled with crumbs and drizzled with chocolate ganache (if using).

SALTINE CRACKER PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie pan.
• Crush saltine crackers either with your hands in a bowl or with a food processor. Add sugar and salt; mix. Mix in butter, followed by honey. Press crust into the prepared pie pan using a measuring cup.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and set, about 16 minutes. Remove from the oven and while crust is still fairly hot, use the measuring cup to re-form as crust will fall down while baking. Let cool before adding a filling of your choice.

ALMOND BUTTER PIE WITH CHOCOLATE SALTINE TOFFEE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the oil, granulated sugar, crushed saltines and 1/2 cup water in a large bowl. Press into the bottom and all the way up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish. Chill for 15 minutes. Bake the crust until golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, microwave the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Set aside 2 tablespoons in a small bowl.
• Drizzle the crust with the caramel sauce, then the remaining melted chocolate. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
• Whip the cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Beat the almond butter and cream cheese in a second medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream until just combined.
• Pour the filling into the crust and smooth out the top, taking care not to cover the crust edge. Drizzle the reserved chocolate in a lacy pattern around the edge of the pie and decorate with the sliced almonds. Chill until set, 6 hours and up to overnight.

CHOCOLATE COVERED SALTINE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Arrange 40 saltine crackers on a non-stick foil in a jelly roll pan.
• Melt butter and brown sugar in pan and boil 3 minutes.
• Pour over crackers.
• Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes.
• Pour chocolate chips over and let stand 5 minutes to melt.
• Spread around with knife and then sprinkle nuts and toffee bits over top and or raisins.
• Garnish with colored sprinkles.
• Place in refrigerator until hard.
• Break into bite-size pieces.

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Set aside., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Stir in vanilla and melted chocolate just until blended. Pour filling over crust., Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. , Garnish slices with strawberries and chocolate shavings if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.