Chocolate Velvet Cheese Cake Food

VELVET CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F if using a silver 8-inch springform pan (or to 350°F if using a dark nonstick 8-inch springform pan). Crush 20 of the cookies; mix with margarine. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Stand remaining 10 cookies around side of pan; set aside.
• Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the sugar. Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add remaining sugar, the cocoa and 1 tsp. of the vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. Cover tops of cookies with strip of foil to prevent overbrowning.
• Bake 50 minutes or until cheesecake is puffed and almost set in center. Remove from oven. Mix reserved 2 Tbsp. sugar, the sour cream and remaining 1/2 tsp. vanilla until well blended; spread evenly over cheesecake. Return to oven; bake an additional 10 minutes. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE VELVET CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Prepare chocolate crumb crust.
• Place oven rack in centre of oven, heat to 350 degrees.
• Combine chocolate and butter in top of double boiler, place over hot but not simmering water.
• Cook over low heat just until chocolate is completely melted.
• Remove top of double boiler from water, stir chocolate mixture until smooth.
• Reserve at room temperature uncovered.
• Cut cream cheese into 1 inch cubes, place in large mixer bowl.
• Beat at medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until completely smooth.
• Gradually beat in chocolate mixture.
• Continue beating, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until mixture is smooth and uniformly coloured.
• Continue beating while gradually adding cream and vanilla, beat until blended.
• Continue beating cheese mixture at medium speed while very slowly adding granulated sugar, beat until sugar is absorbed.
• Add eggs, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition.
• Sieve cocoa powder over batter, beat at low speed until cocoa is thoroughly incorporated.
• Pour batter into cold unbaked chocolate crumb crust, spread top smooth.
• Gently rotate pan several quarter turns to settle batter.
• Bake 30 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, continue baking 30 minutes longer.
• Turn oven off.
• Let cake stand in oven with door ajar 30 minutes.
• Transfer pan to wire rack away from drafts.
• Let cool undisturbed until sides and bottom of pan are completely cooled to room temperature.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Refrigerate cake uncovered overnight or at least 8 hours.
• Cover cake loosely with plastic wrap, refrigerate until serving time.
• Just before serving, Sieve powdered sugar lightly over cake.
• Serve garnished with strawberries if desired.

CHOCOLATE VELVET CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Crush 24 of the cookies until fine crumbs form; mix with butter until well blended. Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Stand remaining 14 cookies around edge of pan, pressing into crumb mixture to secure. Set aside. Place 4 oz. chocolate in small saucepan; cook on low heat until melted, stirring frequently. Set aside.
• Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add melted chocolate, 1/2 cup of the sour cream and the vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended after each addition. Pour into prepared crust.
• Bake 35 to 40 min. or until center is almost set. Combine remaining 1 cup sour cream and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar; spread over cheesecake. Bake an additional 5 min. Cool. Melt remaining chocolate as directed on pkg.; drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE VELVET POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Melt semisweet chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total time). Stir until smooth.
• Beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer, beating about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Use immediately, following directions for desired cake.
• Spoon batter evenly into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350° for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.
• Sift powdered sugar over top of cake.

CHOCOLATE VELVET CAKE

Steps:

• Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended.
• Combine cake flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
• Pour 7 cups batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan, reserving remaining 1 cup batter.
• Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.
• Note: Prepare cake batter 1 1/2 more times; stir in reserved 1 cup batter. Repeat procedure for baking the second 13- x 9-inch layer. Spoon 3 cups batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Repeat procedure with remaining batter for baking the second 9- x 5-inch layer.
• Yield 1 (13- x 9-inch) layer (8 cups batter).