Double Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake Food

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE WITH GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust:
• Place the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until combined. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, chop the bittersweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the espresso and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• To make the filling:
• Cream the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and almond extracts and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, and the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
• Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door opened wide for 1 1/2 hours. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature, until completely cooled.
• For the ganache:
• Finely chop the semisweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the cream and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving. Drizzle the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with double thickness of foil. Spray bottom of pan with vegetable oil spray. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process until blended. Press mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
• Make filling:
• Combine cream and coffee powder in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until coffee powder dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in cornstarch. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Whisk 1 cup cheese mixture into chocolate mixture. Return chocolate mixture to remaining cheese mixture; whisk until smooth.
• Pour batter into crust. Place springform pan in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to cone halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until softly set and slightly puffed around edges, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 45 minutes. Transfer springform pan t rack and cool. Cover; chill cake overnight.
• Make glaze:
• Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour glaze over top of cake. Using spatula, smooth glaze evenly over top. Refrigerate until glaze is set, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Using knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Cut into wedges and serve.

ESPRESSO MARTINI CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 20 x 25 x 4.5cm loose- bottomed cake tin or a roughly 23cm loose-bottomed square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat, then pour into a large bowl and set aside.
• Put the digestive biscuits and cantuccini or biscotti in a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Alternatively, put them in a sealed sandwich bag and bash to crumbs with a rolling pin. Tip into the bowl containing the butter and stir to combine. Transfer the buttery crumbs to the prepared tin and firmly press into the base. Chill for 30 mins, or freeze for 10 mins.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir until smooth, then leave to cool to room temperature, about 15 mins.
• Divide the soft cheese, icing sugar and double cream equally between two bowls. To one bowl, add the cooled melted chocolate and beat with an electric whisk until thick and creamy. To the second bowl, add the coffee, coffee liqueur and vanilla, and beat until thick and creamy, about 3-5 mins (the coffee mixture will not get quite as thick). Spoon the chocolate mixture over the biscuit base and level with a palette knife. Freeze for 30 mins, or until starting to firm up. Spoon over the coffee mixture, level the surface and return to the freezer for at least another 24 hrs. Will keep frozen, well covered, for up to two weeks.
• On the day you want to serve the cheesecake, make the coffee syrup. Pour the coffee liqueur, coffee and sugar into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 mins, or until syrupy enough to coat the back of a spoon. Leave to cool completely.
• Take the cheesecake out of the freezer 1 hr before serving. Once defrosted, the cheesecake will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Spread the soured cream over the top, drizzle with the coffee syrup, then scatter over the coffee beans. Cut into 12 squares and serve straightaway (after about 5 mins the syrup will crack the soured cream).

ESPRESSO AND CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process using on/off turns until crumbs are moist. Press crumbs on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Wrap outside of pan with aluminum foil.
• For filling:
• In small bowl, dissolve instant espresso in 1 tablespoon water. Using electric mix, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in espresso mixture, butter and ground coffee beans.
• Combine chocolate and cream in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Pour half of cheese filling (about 2 1/2 cups) into prepared crust. Drop 5 tablespoons melted chocolate mixture by tablespoons around edge of filling, spacing evenly. Use small sharp knife to swirl chocolate into filling. Carefully pour remaining cheese filling over. Drop remaining chocolate mixture by tablespoons into center 6 inches of filling, spacing evenly. Swirl mixtures together using tip of knife.
• Bake cheesecake until edges are puffed and beginning to crack and top is golden brown, about 40 minutes (center will not be set). Cool on rack. Chill overnight. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead.)
• Run small sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Release pan sides. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the base of a 25cm springform tin with baking parchment. Mix the melted butter and biscuit crumbs until well blended, then press firmly onto the base of the tin. Bake for 10 mins.
• Turn oven temperature up to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric whisk until smooth and creamy, then whisk in the cocoa, vanilla, Tia Maria, eggs, soured cream and half the melted chocolate. Stir enough milk into the remaining chocolate to make a sauce consistency, then set aside until ready to decorate the cheesecake.
• Put a little melted butter on some kitchen paper and use it to butter the sides of the cake tin. Pour in the cheese mixture, then smooth the top. Bake for 10 mins, then turn the heat down to 110C/fan 90C/gas ¼ for 25-30 mins. The filling should be set, but with a wobble in the centre. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, then leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 2 hrs. Chill until ready to serve.
• To decorate the cheesecake, carefully remove it from the tin and strip the lining paper from the base. Lightly whip the cream until it just holds its shape, then swirl it on top and drizzle with the reserved chocolate sauce, rippling the sauce through the cream with the end of a spoon. Serve as is or pile with chocolate curls. To make the chocolate curls: run a swivel potato peeler firmly down the smooth back of a slab of chocolate so that curls of chocolate flake away from the bar.