Special Pleasure Chocolate Cheesecake Food

ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. You'll be placing this pan in a water bath, so be sure the pan has been wrapped from every angle.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the crust completely. Leave the oven on.
• Fill a medium pot one-third full with water and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat.
• Place a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pan snugly, but will not touch the simmering water, on top of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate into the bowl over the pot. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a silicon spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside until needed.
• In the bowl of a food processor (or high-powered blender), pulse the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and cocoa powder and beat smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds.
• Remove the bowl from the food processor and, using a rubber spatula, stir the filling several times to ensure it's evenly blended.
• Scrape the filling over the partially baked crust in the prepared pan.
• Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set but still slightly jiggly. The cake will set completely as it cools.
• Remove the cake from the water bath and place the pan on a wire rack. Carefully loosen the foil, then immediately run the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan, to prevent the top from cracking. Cool completely (in the pan), then transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours before removing from the pan and slicing.
• Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl; set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a low simmer. Pour half of the cream on top of the chocolate pieces and set aside for 1 minute. With a whisk, begin to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream. Slowly add the remaining cream and continue carefully whisking until smooth and glossy.
• Add in the butter and use a spatula to stir until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will be dark and glossy. Set aside, at room temperature, until needed.
• Pour ganache over cooled cheesecake. Set aside until ganache is set, about 1 hour.
• To serve, slice the cheesecake with a thin-bladed sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut.
• Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a 6-inch springform pan with cooking spray to coat the bottom and sides.
• Add the graham crackers to a resealable plastic bag. Using your hands or a rolling pin, crush the graham crackers into crumbs. Transfer them to a mixing bowl and add the melted butter. Fold and press together with a spatula until a loose, crumbly mixture is made. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and press to create an even base for the cheesecake. Chill the crust in the fridge while you make the filling to set the base.
• For the filling: Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring with a spatula, until the chocolate is melted and completely smooth. Set aside.
• Mix the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder in a food processor until smooth. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla, salt and egg and process until completely incorporated. Scrape down the sides once more. Turn the machine back on and while the machine is running, drizzle in the melted chocolate and allow it to completely incorporate into the mixture.
• Pour the chocolate filling over the prepared crust and smooth out the top with a spatula. Transfer the cheesecake to the center rack and bake until the filling is no longer soupy but still slightly jiggly, about 32 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the door just a hair. Allow the cheesecake to sit in the warm oven for 15 more minutes with the door ajar.
• Transfer the cheesecake to a cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
• Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to help free the cheesecake, but keep it in the pan. The cheesecake will continue to shrink while it cools and this step makes it easier to separate the cheesecake when you are ready to serve it.
• For the topping: Pour the cherry pie filling onto the cooled cheesecake and smooth into an even layer, leaving a bit uncovered around the edges. Cover the springform pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• When you are ready to eat, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.

SPECIAL PLEASURE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Allow the cookie dough to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften, then press it into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
• Reserve two tablespoons of the toffee bits for garnish and sprinkle the remaining bits over the dough.
• Melt the chocolate candies in a microwave-safe bowl on 70% power for 15 seconds and stir. Continue to melt the chocolates in 5-second intervals until completely melted and smooth when stirred.
• Beat the cream cheese, milk and yogurt until smooth, then add the eggs and beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in the vanilla and melted chocolate and pour the mixture over the unbaked crust and toffee bits.
• Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set, then place the cheesecake on a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. If time is short, you can place it in the freezer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Garnish the cheesecake with whipped cream and the reserved toffee bits. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

SPECIAL CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust:.
• Combine crumbs& butter and press onto the bottom of a 9" Buttered springform Pan.
• Bake at 350F for 10 minutes, remove from oven and turn heat up to 425°F.
• Filling:.
• With an electric mixer blend together the cream cheese and sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
• Add vanilla.
• Remove half the batter to another bowl.
• To one batch of the batter add the melted white chocolate, blend with the batter.
• To the other half blend in the melted semi-sweet chocolate.
• Pour the dark chocolate batter into the crumb crust and spread evenly.
• Spoon the white batter carefully over top.
• Bake at 425F for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 250F Bake 30-35 minutes or until the cake centre is barely firm.
• Remove from oven and run a knife around sides.
• Let cool completely before removing the sides.
• Glaze:.
• Bring cream to a simmer over low heat.
• Add chopped chocolate and stir until melted.
• Spoon over the cake.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Butter and line a 23cm springform cake tin. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to form fine crumbs, then add the butter and blitz again. Tip the biscuit mixture into the tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
• In separate bowls, melt the milk and dark chocolate over pans of gently simmering water. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each interval until melted. Set aside to cool.
• Use a hand whisk to mix the mascarpone, cream cheese, icing sugar, malted milk drink powder, hot chocolate powder and vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream, then fold into the mascarpone mixture. Add half the mixture to each of the chocolate bowls, stirring until well combined. Stir half the chopped Maltesers, whole Maltesers and buttons into the milk chocolate mixture; stir the rest into the dark chocolate mixture.
• Spoon the dark chocolate mixture onto the biscuit base. Top with the milk chocolate mixture and smooth over the top. Chill overnight. Decorate with Maltesers before serving.

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To make the biscuit base, crush the digestive biscuits with a rolling pin or blitz in a food processor, then tip into a bowl with the sugar and butter and stir to combine. Butter and line an 18cm springform tin and tip in the biscuit mixture, pushing it down with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
• To make the cheesecake, melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, then leave to cool slightly. Whip the cream in a large bowl using an electric whisk until soft peaks form, then fold in the cocoa powder. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together, then fold in the cream mixture and the cooled chocolate.
• Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base, levelling it out with the back of a spoon. Transfer to the freezer and freeze for 2 hrs, or until set. Remove from the tin and leave at room temperature to soften for about 20 mins before serving.

SPECIAL-OCCASION CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; set aside to cool completely. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For ganache, place chocolate in a bowl. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring cream and sugar to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk gently until smooth. Allow to cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency, stirring occasionally., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with second layer and 1 cup ganache; sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Top with third layer; frost top and sides of cake. Warm ganache until pourable; pour over cake, allowing some to drape down the sides. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Refrigerate until serving.