Rich, delicious, slightly bittersweet with just the right balance of chocolate and cappuccino flavors
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cheesecake
Servings 12
Ingredients
For the Crust
2cupsChocolate graham crackers, crushedabout 16 sheets
6tbspunsalted buttermelted
1/3cupgranulated sugar
For the Chocolate Cheesecake
1/4cupvery strong, freshly brewed coffee
2cupsHershey's Special Dark Chocolategrated
24ozcream cheeseroom temperature, 608 g
1pinchsalt
1cupsugar 200 g
1/4cupsour cream
1tbspvanilla extract 15mL
4eggs, largeroom temperature
3tbspAll purpose flour
For the Ganache:
1/2cupsemisweet chocolate
1/2cupheavy cream
1 1/2tspespresso powder
For the Chocolate Whipped Cream:
2cupsheavy creamvery cold
1/4cuppowdered sugar
1tbspvanilla extract
3tbspcocoa powder
1/2cupHeavy Creamvery hot
1/2cupHersheys Special dark chocolategrated fine
1tspespresso powder
For the Garnish
1quartstrawberries, raspberries, or blackberries
8 ozmelting white chocolate
Instructions
For the Crust:
Preheat oven to 350℉. Lay parchment inside a 9 x 4 inch pie pan in such a way it overlaps and completely covers the bottom and sides of the pan, allowing some parchment to rise above the rim (to provide a "handle" for lifting the cheesecake out of the pan after baking). Brush parchment with melted butter.
Add chocolate graham crackers to your food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces. Add sugar and pulse to combine. Pour in melted butter while pulsing processor. Remove blades and use a spatula to mix butter in completely.
Transfer mixture to your pan and spread our with a spatula so the crumbs are evenly distributed on the bottom and toward the side as well. Press into a flat layer using a tall glass and compact the side to it keeps it's shape after cutting.
Bake for about 10 - 15 minutes at 350℉, or until fragrant and a darker golden color. Remove from oven, set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325℉.
For the Filling:
Place grated chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot coffee over, stirring to blend. Allow to stand for a few minutes and then stir until glossy and smooth. Microwave on half power for 30 seconds if chunks still remain. Reserve.
Add ROOM TEMPERATURE cream cheese to stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix at medium speed to cream for two minutes until fluffy.
Add the sugar and salt to the bowl and mix on medium until smooth, about two minutes. Scrape bowl down and mix until completely homogenous.
Add sour cream and vanilla extract, mix well then add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to mix. Scrape the bowl down and mix until completely smooth.
Pour in the melted chocolate and mix on low until combined. Scrape the bowl down and mix once more.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. The batter should come up nearly to the top.
Place springform pan into a large roasting pan, surround with about an inch of very hot water.
Bake at 325℉ for 20 minutes. WITHOUT OPENING THE OVEN, reduce temperature to 300℉ and bake another 40 minutes or until cake's edge is set but center is still wobbly.
Turn oven off but leave door closed. Allow cake to rest for an additional hour in the oven. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DURING THIS TIME. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature then cover with a towel or paper towel and chill for 12 hours.
For the Ganache:
Warm the heavy cream in the microwave until quite hot (but NOT boiling - that will scald the chocolate). Pour over grated chocolate and stir, then allow to rest for two minutes to melt. Add espresso powder and stir until glossy.
Allow to cool until barely warm, then carefully spread the ganache onto the cake. Return cheesecake to refrigerator to chill while you make the chocolate whipped cream.
For the Chocolate Whipped Cream:
Warm the heavy cream in the microwave until quite hot (but NOT boiling - that will scald the chocolate). Pour over grated chocolate and stir, then allow to rest for two minutes to melt. Add espresso powder and stir until glossy. Allow to cool to room temperature before proceeding. Do NOT add hot ganache to cold whipped cream.
Add the cold cream, vanilla extract, and sifted cocoa powder/ powdered sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix with a whisk attachment until semi-stiff peaks form.
With mixer on low, add cooled ganache in a steady stream. Scrape sides of bowl and whisk for semi-stiff peaks.
Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star attachment and refrigerate for mousse topping to firm up.
Construct and garnish
No more than 30 minutes before serving, pipe mousse onto the cake's edge using small circular motions.
Garnish with oreos and fresh berries.
Melt white chocolate according to manufacturer's instructions. Drizzle over edges of cake, oreos, and berries in preferred design