Mirror Glazed Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Food

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 GLAZE

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in milk and corn syrup. Use immediately.

MIRROR GLAZE

Steps:

• Bloom the gelatin by pouring 3 tablespoons of cool water into a small bowl and sprinkling the gelatin evenly over top. Allow the gelatin to sit until it has absorbed the water.
• Place the white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and white food color into a medium heat-proof bowl.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir gently to ensure that the sugar is moistened. Heat the mixture over high heat until boiling and allow to boil for a minute or two until the syrup is clear. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin. Pour the syrup and gelatin mixture into the bowl of chocolate and milk and allow to sit for 30 seconds before stirring until smooth.
• Use an immersion blender to emulsify the glaze, making sure that the head of the blender stays below the surface of the glaze. This will ensure your glaze doesn't become aerated. Pour the glaze through a fine sieve if there are any lumps or air bubbles.
• Color the glaze with powdered food colors by separating the desired amount of glaze into individual containers and stirring in the color. Mirror glaze should be poured when the temperature reaches 94 to 95 degrees F.