Bittersweet Chocolate Cheesecake Recipes

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan with foil to prevent leaking. Lightly spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix crust ingredients with fork until crumbly. Press mixture in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 10 minutes or until set. Place on cooling rack; cool completely.
• In another medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 2/3 cup granulated sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Beat in chocolate. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.
• Just before serving, run small metal spatula around edge of springform pan; carefully remove foil and side of pan. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; garnish with raspberries. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Mix wafer crumbs, hazelnuts and melted butter; press onto bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan., Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cooled chocolate, then sour cream, extracts and salt. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over crust. Place pan on a baking sheet., Bake until center is almost set, 60-65 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate 3 hours. , For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate with cream; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Spread over chilled cheesecake. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Remove rim from pan. If desired, served with whipped cream and additional hazelnuts.

DEEPEST DARKEST CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with cooking spray.
• For the crust: In a food processor, grind the cookies until finely ground. Blend in the sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and process until well blended; it should be the consistency of wet sand. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. (Or just place the cookie crumb-sugar mixture in the pan, pour the melted butter in and combine.) Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake just until set, about 7 minutes. Allow it to cool while preparing the filling.
• For the filling: Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute until the chocolate is completely melted. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and cocoa powder together, smoothing out any lumps of cocoa powder. In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, and then add the sugar-cocoa powder mixture. Add the orange zest, prepared coffee or espresso powder at this time, if using. Beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom with a rubber scraper when necessary. Blend in the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the lukewarm chocolate and stir until combined.
• Pour the filling over the cooled crust, tap the pan on the table top to remove any air pockets, and then smooth the top to even out. Bake until the center is just set (jiggles like set gelatin) and looks just dry, about 1 hour 10 minutes, rotating halfway. Cool 5 minutes. Run a knife around sides of the cake to loosen, but do not remove from the springform pan. Chill the cake in the refrigerator overnight.
• For the glaze: Stir the heavy cream, chopped chocolate, honey and prepared coffee in a heavy, medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2-inch of the cheesecake's edge and filling any cracks. Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.
• Transfer the cheesecake to a platter and release from the springform pan. Serve cold, or allow to come to room temperature, about 2 hours.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch springform pan.
• Place a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Put the butter and chocolate in the bowl, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Take the bowl off the heat and set aside.
• First, whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, coffee, and salt, whisking until the mixture is combined and smooth. Sprinkle on the flour and fold it in with a rubber spatula until it's incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (see Cook's Note), until the top puffs up and cracks and the cake doesn't wobble when you jiggle the pan. (A toothpick will not come out clean.) Remove from the oven and cool completely on a baking rack. The cake will deflate as it cools. Run a small knife around the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the cake in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or crème fraîche.

BITTERSWEET CHEESECAKE TORTE

Steps:

• 1. For ganache: In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium-high heat just until boiling. Remove from heat. Add the 8 ounces milk chocolate (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover and chill.
• 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray for baking; set aside. Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake about 25 minutes or until edges are set. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove uncut brownies from pans. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.
• 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in eggs just until combined. Transfer half of the mixture (about 1-1/2 cups) to a medium bowl. To one bowl, add the 3 ounces melted milk chocolate; stir until smooth. To the other bowl, add the melted white chocolate; stir until smooth.
• 4. Wrap heavy-duty foil around the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan, making sure foil comes at least 1 inch up the side. Using a sharp knife, trim edges from brownie rounds, making two 8-inch rounds.* Place one of the brownie rounds in the pan. Pour milk chocolate-cream cheese mixture on top. Place the remaining brownie round on the milk chocolate-cream cheese mixture and pour white chocolate-cream cheese mixture on top.
• 5. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large roasting pan; pour enough hot water around the springform pan to come halfway up the side. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until cheesecake appears set when gently shaken. Carefully remove springform pan from water.
• 6. Cool in springform pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, loosen the edge from the side of the pan; cool for 30 minutes more. Remove the side of the pan; cool completely on wire rack. Cover and chill overnight.
• 7. Remove ganache from refrigerator. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and of spreading consistency. Spoon whipped ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star or round tip. Pipe stars or mounds to cover the entire top of the chilled cheesecake. Makes 12-16 servings.
• *Test Kitchen Tip: Before wrapping the springform pan in foil, place the bottom of the pan on each brownie round and use the tip of a sharp knife to trace around the pan bottom. Trim edges. This will assure the brownie rounds fit tightly in the pan.

BAKER'S ONE BOWL BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE-MINT SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Microwave bittersweet chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add peppermint extract, and half each of the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and crushed candies; whisk until blended. Pour into crust.
• Whisk remaining cream cheese, sugar and egg in same bowl until blended. Spoon over chocolate batter; swirl gently with knife.
• Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Top with remaining crushed candies before serving.