Chocolate Glazed Cheesecake With Violets Food

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE TOPPING

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F.
• BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer until fluffy; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
• TOSS chocolate chips with flour; stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust.
• Bake 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool and top with Chocolate Glaze and chocolate curls (optional). Serve chilled.
• CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
• MELT chocolate chips with cream in small heavy saucepan; cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Immediately spread over cheesecake.
• To prevent chocolate chips from floating down to bottom of pie, remove cheesecake from oven after 5 to 10 minutes, sprinkle chocolate chips over pie; continue to bake for remaining baking time. (Be careful when handling cheesecake, pie pan will be very hot.)
• *To make chocolate shavings, start with a good quality chocolate in block form. Using vegetable or potato peeler, hold chocolate with paper towel; pass vegetable peeler over narrowest side of chocolate block. The chocolate will curl up like wood shavings. Store in covered container in refrigerator until needed.

CHOCOLATE GLAZED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place an ungreased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil around pan. Combine cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of prepared pan; set aside., In a large bowl, beat one 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until fluffy. Add one egg and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla; blend well. Stir in chocolate and 1/3 cup sour cream. Spoon over crust. , In another bowl, beat second 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, brown sugar and flour until fluffy. Add one egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; blend well. Stir in pecans. Spoon carefully over chocolate layer. , In another bowl, beat remaining cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Blend in remaining egg. Stir in remaining sour cream and vanilla. Add almond extract. Spoon carefully over pecan layer., Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake inside for 30 minutes; open door partway and leave in oven another 30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool completely. Refrigerate at least 8 hours., For glaze, melt chocolate and butter. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla until smooth. Remove cheesecake from pan and spread warm glaze over top. Garnish with pecans if desired.

CHOCOLATE GLAZED TRIPLE-LAYER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and butter; stir to blend well.
• Press mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
• In another bowl, combine 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar; using an electric mixture, beat at medium speed until fluffy.
• Add 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla; beat well.
• Stir in melted chocolate and 1/3 cup sour cream.
• Spoon mixture over chocolate crust.
• In another bowl, combine remaining 8 ounce package cream cheese, brown sugar and flour; beat until fluffy.
• Add in 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; beat well.
• Stir in pecans; spoon mixture over chocolate layer.
• In another bowl, combine 5 ounces cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup sugar; beat until fluffy.
• Add in remaining egg; beat well.
• Stir in remaining 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract.
• Spoon over pecan layer.
• Bake in a 325° oven for 1 hour.
• Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes.
• Open oven door and leave cheesecake in oven for another 30 minutes.
• Cool; then cover and chill at least 8 hours.
• Remove from pan; spread warm glaze on top.
• To make Chocolate Glaze: Add chocolate and butter to the top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.
• Lower heat; cook until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until smooth.
• Spread warm glaze over cheesecake.

VANILLA CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F
• In a small saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons butter. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in melted butter until crumbs are moist. Pour mixture into a 9-inch springform pan; press firmly, forming a 1/2-inch crust up sides of pan. Bake until set, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
• Reduce temperature to 275°F In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add remaining cup sugar. Scrape in vanilla seeds; reserve pod for another use. Beat until well combined, about 3 minutes.
• Drizzle in eggs, one at a time, stopping occasionally to scrape down bowl, Beat in sour cream and salt, Pour batter into crust.
• Bake cheesecake until sides have set but center appears soft, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Run a paring knife around the ourside of crust, loosening it from pan. When cool, cover tightly with plastic; let set at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve place chocolate, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and cream in top of double boiler, or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, Srir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Pour chocolate glaze over cheesecake; spread into a circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Chill just until chocolate has set, about 10 minutes.

VANILLA CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons butter. In a medium bowl, combine graham-cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in melted butter until crumbs are moist. Pour mixture into a 9-inch springform pan; press firmly, forming a 1/2-inch crust up sides of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
• Reduce temperature to 275 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add remaining cup sugar. Scrape in vanilla seeds; reserve pod for another use. Beat until well combined, about 3 minutes.
• Drizzle in eggs, one at a time, stopping occasionally to scrape down bowl. Beat in sour cream and salt. Pour batter into crust.
• Bake cheesecake until sides have set but center appears soft, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Run a paring knife around the outside of crust, loosening it from pan. When cool, cover tightly with plastic; let set at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, place chocolate, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and cream in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Pour chocolate glaze over cheesecake; spread into a circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Chill just until chocolate has set, about 10 minutes.

CHOCOLATE GLAZED BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Finely grind graham crackers in a food processor.
• Add butter and blend until combined.
• Press crust mixture onto bottom (not sides) of a 9-inch diameter springform pan.
• Bake crust until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, and maintain oven temperature.
• For filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
• Beat in flour.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined.
• Mix in remaining ingredients.
• Pour filling into crust (cake will not fill pan).
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees.
• Continue baking cheesecake until set, about 40 minutes longer.
• Cool cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
• Run a sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake.
• Cool.
• Chill overnight.
• For glaze: Bring cream to simmer in a heavy medium sized saucepan.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Add chopped chocolate (I use chocolate chips!) and stir until smooth.
• Cool glaze to lukewarm.
• Release pan sides from cheesecake.
• Place cheesecake on rack set over a baking sheet.
• Pour glaze over cheesecake, spreading with a spatula to cover top and sides, allowing excess to drip onto sheet.
• Refrigerate until glaze sets, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer cheesecake to platter.
• Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

CHOCOLATE-GLAZED CHEESECAKE WITH VIOLETS

Steps:

• Using the butter, coat the inside bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 10-C mold or 10-inch Bunt pan.
• Sprinkle mold with graham-cracker crumbs, shaking mold to evenly coat the inside completely. Turn mold upside down to remove excess crumbs.
• Heat oven to 325°F
• In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until softened and fluffy.
• Beat in sugar until well mixed.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• With rubber spatula, fold in violet petals and vanilla until well mixed.
• Pour mixture into prepared mold.
• Set filled mold in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan and place on the lower oven rack.
• Pour boiling water into pan to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake cheesecake 1 1/2 hours or until almost set in the center. If using Bunt pan, bake 1 1/4 hours.
• Turn off oven; let cake stand in oven 30 minutes longer.
• Remove cheesecake from the water bath and cool in the mold to room temperature on wire rack.
• Cut a piece of cardboard into a round to fit exactly over the cheesecake.
• Loosen the cake around the side of mold. Unmold cake onto the cardboard round and place on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan.
• Prepare Chocolate Glaze: In double boiler over hot, not boiling water, melt butter with chocolate squares Stir until smooth and cool to lukewarm.
• Pour half of glaze over top of cheesecake, and with small metal spatula, carefully spread to evenly cover side, allowing excess to drip into pan below.
• Refrigerate cake just until glaze hardens.
• Meanwhile, keep remaining glaze at room temperature. If glaze hardens, re-heat in hot water just until spoon able.
• Pour and evenly spread remaining glaze over cake.
• Refrigerate cheesecake at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, transfer cheesecake to serving plate.
• Garnish top with Candied Violets and decorate plate with violet leaves, if desired.