Friday, July 31, 2009

Fixation Friday.....Chocolate Cheesecake

Jason left today for NTC, a lovely training center in the middle of the Californian desert. He will be gone for the entire month of August and probably the first week of Sept. BOO! But before he left I wanted to make some yummy food for him. This week we have had Greek Steak with Orzo and Feta, Pad Thai, Chicken Pasta, a Lasagna kind of dish....and some sweets of course! I decided that he needed a treat, so I made him one of his favorite desserts - cheesecake....more
specifically Chocolate Cheesecake! I was scrounging through the cupboards for some oreo crumbs but couldn't find any (must have used them and don't remember!) so I used plain old graham crackers for the crust (my fav!) and of course used Dorie's recipe for her uber creamy cheesecake. I love making mini cheesecakes. The little four inch springforms that I bought months ago have been getting a lot of use! I love them. And Dorie's recipe is so easy to quarter and it makes two perfect little cheesecakes.
Here is the cutest slice of cheesecake ever...

For reference....the plate fits in the palm of my hand!!
Recipe.....
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking, From My Home to Yours
For the Crust
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Butter (Melted)
Mix all the ingredients together until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. Divide the crumbs between two 4 inch springform pans that you have already buttered. Press the crumbs up the sides and evenly over the bottom. Wrap the pans in double layers of aluminum foil. Then put the pans in the freezer while your oven preheats to 350 F. Bake the crusts for about 8 minutes - keep an eye on them so they don't over bake. Set aside the crusts while you make the cheesecake batter.
For the Cheesecake Batter
1 four ounce box of cream cheese - at room temp.
1/3 c Sugar
1 tsp vanilla (I like a lot)
1 large egg
1/3 c sour cream or heavy cream (I like using sour cream for a bit of extra zip)
Beat the cream cheese for a couple of minutes in your stand mixer until soft and creamy. With the mixer running, add the sugar and continue to beat for a few more minutes. Beat in the vanilla. And then the egg. Let it get nice and aerated...makes for a light fluffy cheesecake. Then on low, blend in the sour cream or heavy cream.
To make it a chocolate cheesecake I melted 3 oz of semi sweet chocolate and added it to the batter after the sour cream.
Divide the batter between the two pans. Put the pans in a baking dish that is big enough to hold them both and then surround them with boiling water - up about half way up the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake at 350 F for about an hour. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon, leaving the cheesecakes in their water bath.
After the hour pull them out of the oven, remove the foil carefully, and let them come to room temperature on a cooling rack. When cooled to room temp, cover with wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours - the longer the better - the more the flavours meld.
Then.....eat them with someone you love!
So this Chocolate Cheesecake kills two birds with one stone - my two favs - in one amazing dish!
Make them, you will love them!
Take care,
Tania
Love Big, Bake Often

10 comments:

Megan said...

You ROCK! That's the perfect size dessert - and have you posted the recipe for Pad Thai? That is one of my favorite dishes.....

Although my husband's not in the military, he used to travel for weeks at a time - so I know how hard it is when they're gone for those long stretches.

Nancy/n.o.e said...

Oh, wow, that is a tiny piece of cheesecake! It's great to know that a quarter recipe makes 2 minis; I'll note that in my book. I'm sure the memory of all that good food, and the love behind it, will sustain your husband during his long weeks of training. Hang in there!

Rachelle S said...

I'll have to take a peek at Dorie's cheesecake, been craving some lately. Looks great!

Do you have a recipe for the greek steak and orzo, that sounds good too!

I don't know how you do it...a whole month+? I don't like when Mr. is gone for up to a week for work. (((HUGS))) to you!

Di said...

Now I totally have to try the chocolate version! I loved Dorie's cheesecake when we made it back in December. Yours looks fantastic, and I love the mini slice. =)

Paula - bell'alimento said...

That Chocolate Cheesecake looks divine! I'm sure he loved this special treat! Big hugs! Mwah

Pamela said...

That looks incredibly delicious! I love my mini pans, too. Somehow, it doesn't make me feel as guilty when it's a mini! Good luck with your hubs gone for so long! Hang in there!

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