Bittersweet Cheesecake Torte Recipes

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.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH WHITE TRUFFLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 275°F. Lightly grease bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in chocolate. Pour into pan.
• Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. (Do not insert a knife because the hole could cause cheesecake to crack.) Cool at room temperature 15 minutes.
• Run knife around side of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled.
• In 2-quart saucepan, melt white chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick and grainy); remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream until smooth. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
• Run knife around side of pan to loosen cheesecake; remove side of pan. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting. Serve cheesecake with sauce and berries. Store in refrigerator.

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.

BUTTERSCOTCH-MAPLE CHEESECAKE TORTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with a circle of cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add 1 can condensed milk, and beat again until well combined. Add melted butterscotch chips, and mix well. Add 4 eggs and the vanilla; pour into pan.
• Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until puffed around edge and center still jiggles slightly when moved. Cheesecake will puff up around the edges and then sink when taken out of the oven. Allow cheesecake to cool 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until chilled. Level top of cheesecake with large serrated knife.
• Meanwhile, increase oven temperature to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Generously spray bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour. In large bowl, beat Maple Cake ingredients with electric mixer on medium-high speed until well combined. Pour into pans.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out on cooling racks to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, place contents of both frosting containers. Beat in 2 teaspoons maple flavor with electric mixer on low speed. Remove 1/3 cup of the frosting, and place in decorating bag fitted with large star tip; set aside. Place 1 cake layer on serving platter or cake stand; frost top with thin layer of frosting. Top with cheesecake layer, and frost top with thin layer of frosting. Top with final cake layer, and frost entire side and top with remaining frosting. Pipe icing stars around top edge of cake.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat Butterscotch-Maple Drizzle ingredients over medium-high heat until melted and mixture can be stirred smooth with whisk. Let cool until barely warm but still pourable. Drizzle mixture over cake. Place 1 butterscotch chip upside down into each piped star to garnish.
• Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Grease the top of the paper, too.
• In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt together chocolate and butter. Heat in 30-60 second increments and stir well after each to avoid overcooking the mixture. Cool for 5-8 minutes.
• Pour butter mixture into a large mixing bowl and add chocolate. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Stir in flour, cinnamon, cayenne and salt, followed by the pecans and chocolate chips.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 38-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, with a few crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a serving platter. Remove parchment paper and cool completely.
• Before serving, whisk together 2 tbsp cocoa powder with 1 tsp cinnamon. Sift over the top of the torte.

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.

MIMI'S CHEESECAKE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat egg whites in a separate bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Blend in 1 1/2 cups sugar. Fold egg whites into cream cheese, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour cream cheese filling into crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling is set, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
• Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees F (246 degrees C).
• Combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Spread evenly on top of the filling.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE TORTE

Steps:

• Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with ungreased parchment paper. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 24-26 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Sprinkle sugar over a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Immediately invert cake onto baking sheet. Gently peel off parchment paper; cool completely.
• Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in jam until melted. With a fork, poke cake at 1/2-in. intervals. Brush with gelatin mixture; chill for 10 minutes.
• In a bowl, beat cream cheese, milk and lemon juice. Add whipped topping and pudding mix; whisk well. Reserve 1 cup. Place remaining pudding mixture in a pastry bag with a large star tip.
• Trim edges of cake. Cut widthwise into three equal rectangles; place one on serving plate. Spread 1/2 cup reserved pudding mixture in center. Pipe pudding mixture around top edge of cake. Repeat with second cake layer. Top with remaining cake layer. Pipe pudding mixture along top edges. Fill center with fruit. Sprinkle with lemon peel. Store in refrigerator.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

Steps:

• Make mousse: Put chocolate in a large bowl, and set aside. Heat 1 1/2 cups cream over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan until cream is steaming and small bubbles form on edges.
• Pour cream over chocolate. Stir until mixture is smooth. Let cool completely.
• Put remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture, one-third at a time.
• Assemble torte: Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang on sides. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) over bottom of pan to cover. Arrange 5 cookies on top in a single layer to cover, breaking them to fit as necessary. Spread enough mousse (3/4 to 1 cup) on top to cover; smooth into an even layer. Repeat process with remaining cookies and mousse until pan is full.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto surface, and refrigerate torte until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.
• Remove plastic wrap from surface. Invert torte onto a serving plate; unmold, using overhang to coax it out. Remove plastic wrap. Dust with cocoa.