Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake 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.

VANILLA VELVET/CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the Chocolate Cake:
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and spray 2 (9-inch) cake pans with cooking spray.
• For each cake:
• Combine all dry ingredients and sift. Combine all wet ingredients and whisk to incorporate. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the sifted dry ingredients and butter. Add 1/3 of the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat this process 2 more times. Poor batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Check the center of cakes with a toothpick for doneness. Cool.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Transfer 2 cups batter to a bowl; stir in the cocoa powder and food coloring. Pour the red batter into the crust, then pour the white batter on top. Using a spoon, pull some of the red batter up from the bottom of the cake and swirl. Bake until the edges are set but the center is still wobbly, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
• Turn off the oven but keep the cake inside to cool, 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan (don't remove the springform side), then transfer to a rack to cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.

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 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).

RED VELVET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans. Sprinkle with flour, and tap out the excess; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk cake flour, salt, and cocoa; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and oil, and beat on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add food coloring and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• In a small bowl, mix baking soda and vinegar until combined. Add to batter, and beat for 10 seconds. Evenly divide batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans, and return to the rack to cool completely.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting on one of the layers. Place the second layer on top; spread and swirl the remaining frosting around the sides and top of the cake.The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, buttermilk, cocoa and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in food coloring. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. , Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 60-70 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove sides of pan., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost top of cheesecake. Refrigerate until serving.