Chocolate Orange Supreme Cheesecake Food

INDIVIDUAL ORANGE AND CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the crushed chocolate wafers and the melted butter. Place a tightly packed teaspoon of the wafer mixture into each mini-muffin cup and press down firmly.
• In a food processor combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar, half of the orange zest, and the egg. Blend until smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the mini muffin tin with butter. Fill the cups with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Place the mini muffin tin in a baking dish and pour enough hot water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mini muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the mini muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Use a small knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups.
• Just before serving, combine the remaining orange zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Top each individual cheesecake with about 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest mixture and serve.

ORANGE CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until well blended. Press into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the side of a 9 inch springform pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes. In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool, but do not allow to harden.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs, one at a time on a low speed, or by hand. Gradually stir in the orange juice, and orange zest. Reserve 2 cups of the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the baked crust. Stir the melted chocolate into the reserved batter. Drop the chocolate batter by large spoonfuls onto the white batter. Use a knife to cut through the batter, and leave a swirling design.
• Bake for 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is almost set. Run a spatula or thin knife around the edge of the pan while it is still warm, so the cake will not crack. Allow cake to cool completely before removing the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE SUPREME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine crumbs, cinnamon and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes.
• Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Blend in sour cream and vanilla.
• Blend chocolate into 3 cups batter; blend liqueur and peel into remaining batter.
• Pour chocolate batter over crust.
• Bate at 350°F for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Spoon remaining batter over chocolate batter continue baking 30 minutes more.
• Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan.
• Chill.

CHEESECAKE SUPREME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Mix the graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup of the white sugar, and the melted butter together. Press mixture into the bottom of one 9 or 10 inch springform pan.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks; mix until smooth. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups white sugar, the flour and the heavy cream. Blend until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 10 minutes, then turn oven temperature down to 200 degrees F (100 degrees C) and continue baking for 1 hour, or until filling is set. Let cheesecake cool, then refrigerate.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 6- or 7-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.
• Put the cookies, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely crushed, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. (Any large, stubborn bits of cookie can be crushed with the back of a spoon.) You should have about 1 heaping cup of crumbs.
• Put the cookie crumbs in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until combined and all the crumbs are moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack the crumbs down in an even layer and up the sides about 1/2 inch (or a little higher if using a 6-inch pan).
• Bake until set, about 12 minutes. Let the crust cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling: Combine the chocolate chips and milk in a large mug or other heatproof bowl. Microwave on high for 60 seconds. Remove from the microwave and use a small rubber spatula to stir in small circles until the mixture comes together and the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside.
• Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you may also use a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer or whisk). Beat on medium-low speed until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Increase the speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each until smooth and homogenous, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
• Reduce the speed to medium low and add the flour, orange liqueur, vanilla and orange zest.
• With the mixer running, drizzle in the melted chocolate. Mix until smooth, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
• Pour the filling into the pan and smooth the top. Bake until the sides of the cheesecake are set and the middle jiggles when shaken, about 40 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and open the door a few inches. Let the cheesecake remain in the warm oven with the door ajar for 30 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature until no longer warm, about 30 minutes. Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator and let rest until completely chilled, about 2 hours, or until ready to serve.
• To unmold, run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edge of the pan. Carefully unlock the springform pan and remove the outer ring. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream, chocolate sauce and some candied orange peel.
• The cheesecake should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, up to 3 days. The cheesecake may also be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost the frozen cheesecake in the refrigerator prior to serving.
• Using a vegetable peeler, cut the orange peel into vertical, wide strips (save the inside of the orange for eating later!). Try to carefully shave off any of the bitter white pith with a paring knife. Cut the orange peel into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
• Put the orange peel in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes then drain and rinse. Repeat this process a second time. This step removes any bitterness from the peel.
• Bring 1 cup of the sugar and 1 cup water to a simmer in the same small saucepan. Allow the sugar to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Add the blanched orange peels and simmer gently over low heat until the peels are softened and pith is translucent, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Remove the peels from the syrup and dredge in the sugar (cool and store the leftover orange simple syrup for another use!). Shake off any excess sugar and place the peels on a wire baking rack set in a baking sheet. Allow to sit and dry out, uncovered, for a day or so.