Makeover Semisweet Espresso Cheesecake Recipes

COFFEE LOVER'S MINI CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line 24 muffin cups with foil liners. Mix wafer crumbs and sugar; stir in butter and espresso. Press by tablespoonfuls onto bottoms of liners. , For filling, melt chocolate in a microwave; stir in espresso until blended. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; slowly stir in condensed milk until blended. Stir chocolate mixture into cream cheese mixture until combined. Add eggs; beat just until blended., Fill prepared cups with 1/4 cup cheesecake batter. Bake until centers are almost set, 17-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled., To serve, top with whipped topping and chocolate-covered coffee beans; if desired, dust with baking cocoa.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE WITH GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust:
• Place the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until combined. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, chop the bittersweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the espresso and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• To make the filling:
• Cream the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and almond extracts and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, and the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
• Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door opened wide for 1 1/2 hours. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature, until completely cooled.
• For the ganache:
• Finely chop the semisweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the cream and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving. Drizzle the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.

ESPRESSO MARTINI CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 20 x 25 x 4.5cm loose- bottomed cake tin or a roughly 23cm loose-bottomed square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat, then pour into a large bowl and set aside.
• Put the digestive biscuits and cantuccini or biscotti in a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Alternatively, put them in a sealed sandwich bag and bash to crumbs with a rolling pin. Tip into the bowl containing the butter and stir to combine. Transfer the buttery crumbs to the prepared tin and firmly press into the base. Chill for 30 mins, or freeze for 10 mins.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir until smooth, then leave to cool to room temperature, about 15 mins.
• Divide the soft cheese, icing sugar and double cream equally between two bowls. To one bowl, add the cooled melted chocolate and beat with an electric whisk until thick and creamy. To the second bowl, add the coffee, coffee liqueur and vanilla, and beat until thick and creamy, about 3-5 mins (the coffee mixture will not get quite as thick). Spoon the chocolate mixture over the biscuit base and level with a palette knife. Freeze for 30 mins, or until starting to firm up. Spoon over the coffee mixture, level the surface and return to the freezer for at least another 24 hrs. Will keep frozen, well covered, for up to two weeks.
• On the day you want to serve the cheesecake, make the coffee syrup. Pour the coffee liqueur, coffee and sugar into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 mins, or until syrupy enough to coat the back of a spoon. Leave to cool completely.
• Take the cheesecake out of the freezer 1 hr before serving. Once defrosted, the cheesecake will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Spread the soured cream over the top, drizzle with the coffee syrup, then scatter over the coffee beans. Cut into 12 squares and serve straightaway (after about 5 mins the syrup will crack the soured cream).

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan., In a large bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, butter, sugar and espresso powder. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, melted chocolate, cocoa, half-and-half and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the espresso powder and vanilla. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake at 350° until center is just set and top appears dull, 60-70 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan., In a small saucepan, combine liqueur and half-and-half. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form., Drizzle cheesecake with coffee syrup; garnish with whipped cream, chocolate and coffee beans.

ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In small bowl, combine chocolate wafers, almonds and butter. Press mixture evenly onto bottom and 2 inches up side of 9 inch springform pan; refrigerate.
• In small saucepan, combine chocolate, water and espresso powder. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate starts to melt. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Stir in liqueur; cool.
• In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, beating on lowest mixer speed, just until blended (do not over beat). Reserve 2 cups cream cheese mixture; set aside. Stir cooled chocolate mixture into remaining cream cheese mixture, stirring just until combined; pour into crust.
• Place pan on baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven until edge is set and center is soft set (about 30 minutes). Carefully pour reserved filling mixture around edge of cheesecake; gently spread evenly over entire surface. Continue baking until center appears nearly set (20-25 minutes). Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.
• Using a thin knife, carefully loosen side of cheesecake from pan.
• Cool 30 minutes more; remove side of pan. Refrigerate, covered, 4 hours or overnight.
• To Serve: Garnish with chocolate covered espresso beans. Cut into wedges.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust: Stir together ingredients.
• Press on sides of springform pan and refrigerate.
• Drizzle 3 oz.melted semisweet chocolate over it. (This 3 oz. is optional, and it's not included in the ingredients above).
• Filling: Cream cream cheese.
• Add brown sugar.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.
• Add vanilla, coffee, cooled chocolate, and sour cream, separately.
• Blend after each addition.
• Place the cheesecake in water bath with foil around pan.
• Bake at 300F for 1 hr.;.
• reduce to 275F for 1 hr; reduce to 250F for 30 minute.
• Glaze: After cheesecake has cooled, melt ingredients in microwave and pour warm over cooled cheesecake.
• Now I usually don't add the chocolate drizzle over the bottom, and I just make a plain chocolate crust (without the nuts).
• But I promise you, this is the best chocolate cheesecake I've ever eaten.

ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place the cookies in a small bowl, drizzle the butter over them, and stir, making sure the crumbs are evenly coated with butter.
• Place the cookie crumbs in an ungreased 9-inch spring-form pan. With your hands, pat and spread the crumbs evenly over the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Lower the oven temperature to 200°F.
• Filling
• Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and, with the whisk attachment, beat on high until smooth. Add the espresso grounds and mix until incorporated.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is completely incorporated. Add the egg yolk.
• Add the coffee mixture, vanilla, and flour. Mix until smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated.
• Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake in the center of the oven for a few hours&151;;at least two hours, and maybe as long as four hours.
• You can check for doneness by giving the pan a little shake. If it wobbles like it's still very liquid in the center, keep going. This could take hours. But I'm betting you want a cheesecake with a creamy-smooth consistency and no cracks. So just wait. If you give the cheesecake a shimmy and it jiggles just a little in the middle but otherwise seems nice and firm, turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside to cool slowly. Then remove the cheesecake from the oven and set aside to cool completely in the pan.
• Unmold the cheesecake and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 3 hours before serving.