Decadent Hazelnut Cheesecake Food

FRANGELICO (HAZELNUT) CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place oven rack in the middle of the oven.
• Toast the hazelnuts: Lay hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and toast at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and skins are beginning to crack. Wrap in a towl and let steam for 1 minute. Rub hazelnuts in the towel to remove some of the skins. Grind coarsely and let cool. Keep the oven at 350.
• Make the crust: Combine all crust ingredients except the butter in a food processor until well mixed. Cut the butter into cubes and incorporate into other ingredients for about 1 minute. Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan (I use bottom of flat glass). Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
• Make the cheesecake: Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees and place a pan half-filled with water in the bottom rack. Melt the chocolate and set aside. (Tip: if melting in the microwave, heat in intervals of 30 seconds and stir. Should take no more than 1 minute on high). On low speed, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly mix in the sugar, flour and frangelico. Keep scraping down the sides of the bowl. One at a time, beat in the eggs on low speed.
• Take 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter and mix it with the chocolate.
• Pour cheesecake batter into pan. The chocolate mixture can either be placed in a bag for piping or dropped by spoonfuls into the batter and swirled for a marbled effect.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Decrease oven temperature and bake at 225 degrees for about 1 hour. Towards the end of the baking time, check for doneness. Move the cheesecake pan slightly -- if the edges are set and the center is still wobbly the cheesecake is done. Turn the oven off and prop the door open with an oven mitt. Let cool inside the oven for at least an hour. Let cool on a counter until the pan is cool. Place in the refrigerator uncovered to chill and set. The cheesecake must be chilled for at least 24 hours.

THE MOST DECADENT CHEESECAKE EVER

Steps:

• Have all your ingredients at a cool room temperature.
• Get a couple quarts of water boiling on the stove.
• Arrange racks in your oven so there's one on the lowest and one in the middle. If you do not have a center position then go mid-lower.
• Have a clean 10x14x2-inch (give or take) roasting pan ready.
• Preheat oven to 400F=205°C.
• Grease 10 inch spring form pan.
• 1oz.= 28 grams.
• Game Plan-.
• Prepare crust, while it bakes make fudge layer.
• While fudge bakes make filling.
• While cake cools make frosting.
• # Crust-------.
• Gently combine 120gr flour, 40gr sugar, 1 egg and 45gr butter in a medium bowl.
• Spread to the edges of the pan.
• Prick all over with a fork, then bake 10-15 minutes at 205°C until lightly browned. Allow to cool on a rack.
• Reduce heat to 325F=160C.
• # Fudge ----.
• Microwave 55gr chocolate squares in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.
• Beat 100gr butter and 150gr sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
• Add 25gr flour, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 80gr chopped chocolate.
• Bake at 325F for 15 minutes, Remove from oven;
• # Filling -----.
• Separate eggs.
• With a mixer on high speed, beat the 2 egg whites and 1tsp lemon juice in a large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 50 gr sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until the whites hold stiff, shiny peaks. Set aside.
• Beat cheeses with cornstarch until smooth, stir remaining sugar, then add 2 egg yolks, 1/2 tsp lemon peel, and vanilla. Continue to stir until combined and smooth, stop mixer occasionally and scrape down sides.
• Fold beaten whites into cheese mixture. Scrape the batter into hot or cool crust.
• Bake in a 325° oven until center barely jiggles when cake is gently shaken, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Turn oven off, but leave cake in for another hour.
• It may appear a little jiggly in the center and will have a golden appearance around the edges.
• # Glaze-----.
• Melt 100gr white chocolate and 40gr whipping cream in a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
• Spread top of each cooled cheesecake with Chocolate Glaze;.
• Cover and chill on a rack for 1 hour + refrigerate over night well covered. Remove sides of pans before serving. Garnish, if desired.
• The cake will stay at peak flavor for several days so long as you keep it wrapped and cold.

DECADENT TRIO CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• 1. Place a circle of parchment paper cut to fit an 10 inch round spring-form cake pan in the bottom of the pan. Brush the SIDES of the pan with the oil.
• 2. Place the ready to use cookies in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or your hand until in small bits.
• 3. Place 12 ounces (about 2/3) of the crushed cookies in a bowl and add in the melted butter and stir until well mixed. Press the cookie-butter mixture into the bottom of the parchment lined cake pan. Place the pan in refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
• 4. Place ALL the chocolate morsels in a metal or glass heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water to melt. Stir it every few minutes. This steps takes about 15 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and allow it to cool.
• 5. While chocolate cools, whip the heavy whipping cream in a separate mixing bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks forms. Keep cold and set aside.
• 6. In another bowl add the sugar and cream cheese and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fold in the cooled chocolate and prepared whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and then stir in the liqueur.
• 7. Spoon the chocolate mixture into the spring-form cake pan that contains the cookie layer. Smooth the surface. Take the reserved 4 ounces of the crushed cookies and sprinkle them lightly over the entire top of the cheesecake. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
• 8. When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator, then open and remove the sides of the spring-form cake pan and transfer the chilled cheesecake to a cake platter. Cut into slices. Plate each serving portion with a nice dollop of sour cream and strawberries (both optional). Cover and chill any leftovers!