One Perfect Bite: Triple Play - My Recipe Rotation

Monday, October 19, 2015

Triple Play - My Recipe Rotation - Layered Mocha Cheesecake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a truly outstanding dessert. It is not difficult to make but it is time consuming. I would like to suggest that those of you who plan to make it for guests or special occasions, bake and freeze it well ahead of time. That way you'll feel no last minute pressure to get it done. If you like neat pieces of cheesecake, cut the cake while it is frozen and you'll have slices that are worthy of a magazine spread. I hope you try this one. Here's what I had to say when the cake was first featured.

I've been testing new recipes for Mother's Day and I've found a handful that I think are good enough to share with you. The cheesecake I'm featuring tonight is truly a keeper, but I must warn you that it is extraordinarily rich. The cake is not hard to make, but it is time consuming and, as these things go, expensive to make. That being said, if you have time and money, and weigh in between 100 to 110 pounds, you owe it to yourself to give this recipe a try. The cake is absolutely delicious. Normally, I send test recipe results down the hill to our teenage neighbors. The Silver Fox, who can put squirrels to shame when it comes to hoarding, nixed that plan and commandeered the cake for God, country and himself. It's best not to ask about order of preference. At any rate, he has frozen the cake, and convinced himself that it is for sustenance. He'll be able to live for months off the girth that "sustenance" adds to his midsection. Calories aside, if you enjoy the coffee and chocolate combo. you'll really love this cheesecake.. Here is how it's made.

Layered Mocha Cheesecake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of taste of Home Baking Cookbook

Ingredients:
Crust
1-1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling
2 tablespoons + 1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream chesse, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
Glaze
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
Chocolate-covered coffee beans, optional

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Place it on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18-inches square). Carefully wrap foil around pan.
2) Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl. Press crumbs onto bottom of prepared pan.
3) Mix coffee granules, hot water and cinnamon in another small bowl. Set aside.
4) Combine cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined.
5) Divide batter in half. Stir melted chocolate into one portion and pour over crust. Stir coffee mixture into remaining batter and spoon it over chocolate layer.
6) Place springform pan in a large baking pan. Transfer to oven rack. Add 1-inch of hot water to larger pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform from water bath to a wire cooling rack. Carefully remove foil and let cake sit for 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake with a knife, but do not release spring or remove cake from pan. Let cool for 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
7) Just before serving, melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave and stir until smooth. Release sides of pan and remove ring. Spread glaze over top of cake. Decorate rim with coffee beans if desired. Yield: 16 servings.