Double Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins New Zealand Recipes

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F; place cookies, walnuts, sugar and chocolate in processor; process until finely chopped; add butter and process until moist crumbs form; transfer crumbs to a 10 inch springform pan; Press on bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan; set on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes; transfer to rack and cool; maintain oven temperature.
• For filling: Melt unsweetened chocolate, stir until smooth; cool slightly; beat cream cheese with ½ cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated; transfer 2 ½ cups plain batter to a medium-sized bowl and set aside; add brown sugar to batter remaining in large bowl and beat until combined; mix corn syrup, then melted chocolate into this batter; pour 2/3 cup of this batter into a small bowl and set aside; pour remainder of batter in big bowl into crust; set on cookie sheet and bake until filling is barely set, about 15 minutes; cool 5 minutes; scald cream with orange and lemon zests in small saucepan; remove from heat; add white chocolate and stir until melted and smooth; cool slightly; pour white chocolate mixture to reserved 2 ½ cups batter in medium bowl and stir; mix in liqueur; starting at outside edge, carefully spoon white batter over chocolate layer; set on cookie sheet and bake until sides are puffed and center moves only slightly when shaken, 35-40 minutes; cool 5 minutes; spoon reserved chocolate batter in the small bowl by tablespoonfuls into the center of white chocolate layer; using back of spoon, spread evenly to within ½ inch of cake edge; set on cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes; transfer to rack to cool; using small, sharp knife, cur around edge of pan sides to loosen; cool cheesecake completely in pan; ccover and refrigerate when completely cooled (prepare 2 days before you plan to serve this).
• For dark and white chocolate leaves: Line 2 cookie sheets with foil; place semisweet chocolate and ½ tsp Crisco in small bowl; melt; using small metal (offset works best) spatula or back of spoon, spread thin layer of chocolate over veined underside of 6 leaves, being careful not to drip any chocolate onto other side of leaf; [lace on 1 cookie sheet; chill until set, about 5 minutes; spread second, thin layer of chocolate on each leaf, remelting chocolate if necessary; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Do the same with white chocolate.
• Starting at stem end, gently peel leaves off, leaving only chocolate imprint (can be prepared 1 day ahead; refrigerate in single layers in container).
• To make orange threads: Using vegetable peeler, remove orange peel in large strips; cut strips into fine, long julienne; blanch 30 seconds; drain well; dry thoroughly on paper towels (can be prepared 1 day ahead).
• To make whipped cream topping: Beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form; add liqueur and beat until stiff peaks form.
• To assemble this masterpiece: Release sides of pan from cheesecake; spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip; pipe decorative border around edge of cake; set alternating white and dark chocolate leaves at a slight angle (with 1 edge barely inserted into cream) atop cream border and into dark part of cake; arrange orange threads decoratively on cake, curling them by giving them a couple of twists.
• Be brave enough to actually cut into this beauty cause it tastes delicious as well as being so gorgeous!

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE MUFFINS

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cocoa powder in large bowl, set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350ºF; grease muffin tins.
• In small bowl, make filling: beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, almond extract and cornstarch until uniformly fluffy - set aside.
• In separate bowl, beat together milk, egg, oil and extract.
• Add milk mix to flour mix. Mix just until you no longer see any dry bits in the batter.
• Fill the bottoms of muffin cups with approximately 2 Tablespoons batter (about 1/3 full). Dab a spoonful of cream cheese filling in middle of each muffin cup, making sure filling isn't touching any of the sides. Cover up cream cheese with rest of batter, filling muffin cups until they are 3/4 full. Work as quickly as you can, so cream cheese doesn't sink to bottom.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE MUFFINS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 Tbsp sugar until light and fluffy.
• Set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour,1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
• Make a well in centre of dry ingredients.
• Combine egg, milk and oil.
• Add all at once to dry ingredients stirring just until moistened.
• (batter should be lumpy) Spoon about 2 Tbsp of batter into each greased muffin tray.
• Drop 1 tsp of cream cheese mixture on top and then more of the chocolate batter.
• Bake 375F degrees for 20 minutes.