CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

CRUST:

1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter – melted

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

FILLING:

5 oz of bittersweet chocolate

1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee or you can use instant coffee

1 ¾ pound of cream cheese – – at room temperature

1 cup of granulated sugar

¼ cup of cornstarch (not sure I would add this much or even use it next time)  Seems to be a lot of differing opinions about it on the internet

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract – – – (hey, don’t use that imitation stuff – – it’s not the same)

1 teaspoon of almond extract

½ teaspoon kosher salt

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup sour cream, at room temperature

GANACHE:

¼ pound semi-sweet chocolate

¼ cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for the crust – place the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse till combined.  Pour all that into a 9 or 10-inch springform pan.

With your hands or the bottom of a smooth glass press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 12 minutes and then remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

In the meantime, chop the bittersweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Add the espresso or instant coffee granules and stir till just melted.  Set that aside until cooled to room temperature as well.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, almond extracts, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium to high speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce the speed of the mixture to medium and add the eggs one 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.  WARNING: Be sure to keep your spatula away from the spinning beater or you’ll have a mess on your hands!

Once this is all mixed then pour the mixture onto the cooled crust. Bake for 1 hour.  Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature until completely cooled.  Hopefully, yours didn’t crack!

For the ganache: Finely chop the semisweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.   Don’t let the bowl touch the water.  Add the cream and stir until just melted.  Set this 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 (I just run my knife in hot water).   Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.  Drizzle the ganache over the top of the cheesecake. 

My sister-in-law wanted whip cream on her piece so I add it to the video.   This step is not needed though – and you might think it is ‘over-kill’.   She didn’t!