Triple Chocolate Kahlua Cheesecake

You may have noticed that I have been quiet in my blog and Facebook Page in the past few months. In reality, last couple of months have been exciting and crazy, following getting my own space, moving and travelling to Central & Eastern Europe. 

I'm grateful that my home is transformed from a near naked place to a beautiful home! (Alright, I'm biased!) I'm proud to present my humble kitchenette. The initial kitchenette is no more than a miserable pantry. I built a full height cabinet with my first ever built-in oven. Oh, did I mention that the gorgeous flamenco apron is a gift from my friend who bought in Spain? 

Now that I am settled into my new place, I can start cranking out baking again. I miss the feel of the flour, the sound of the mixer, and of course, the smell of the delectable final product. 

Let's talk about this cake. This chocolate cheesecake is a real showstopper. It has three chocolate layers, starting with a sandy textured chocolate crust made with crushed Oreo cookies. The chocolate cheesecake filling folds dark chocolate into a delicious mixture of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, coffee powder and Kahlua (coffee liquor). It's sinfully rich and chocolately. Since this cheesecake is all about chocolates, I covered it with a layer of chocolate ganache and topped with ferraro rocher chocolates. 

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE KAHLUA CHEESECAKE
(adapted from here, makes one 8" cake)

Crust
285g Oreo cookies
25g sugar
5g cocoa
pinch of salt
85g unsalted butter, melted

Prepare the crust

1. Prepare the 8" springform so that no water leaks into it while baking. Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

2. Preheat oven to 175°C (or 155°C for a fan-forced oven), with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the above ingredients (except for the butter) in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Add the melted butter, pullse a few more seconds to combine. 

*Tip: If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can throw the cookies into a large food storage bag and give it a good whack with a rolling pin or a heavy duty pot. You'll get out a lot of anger and stress that way. 

3. Put all the crumbs in the sides and bottom of the springform pan. Gently press down on the crumbs using spatula, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with a rise along the sides of the pan. Be careful, as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. Place in the own for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool. 


Filling
200g dark chocolate, chopped (I used 70% cocoa)
1 tsp coffee powder
680g cream cheese, room temperature
160g sugar
23g cocoa
3 large egges
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
3 tbsp kahlua (or other liquor of your choice)

Make the fillings

4. Combine chocolate and coffee powder in a bowl. Place over double boiler over low heat, stirring once in a while, till the chocolate is smooth and melted. Set aside. 

5. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and beat till well combined. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that the paddle attachment has failed to incorporate. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the vanilla and kahlua, beat for another minute or so till combined. Add the melted chocolate, beat for another few minutes till mixture is homogeneous. 

Cook the cheesecake

6. Place the foil-wrapped springform in a large, high-sided pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the cooled  crust. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting plan with springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake. Pour until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the boiling water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) Bake at 175°C (or 155°C for fan-forced oven) for 1 hour.

Water bath for Cheesecake

Pour hot water till halfway up the side of springform pan

7. Turn off the heat of the oven and let the cake cool in the oven for 15 minutes. 

8. Crack open the oven door, 1-inch and continue to let the cake cool in the oven for another hour. This gentle cooling will proven the cheesecake surface from cracking. 

9. Remove the springform pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack completely. 

10. Cover the cooled cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum 4-hours. 

Topping
65ml (1/3 cup minus 1 tbsp) whipping cream
15ml (1tbsp) low fat milk
80g dark chocolate, finely chopped

11. Combine cream and milk in a small saucepan, bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Add dark chocolate, remove from heat, stir until smooth. Spread over chilled cheesecake and topped with Ferraro Rocher chocolates. Refrigerate until just set (45 minutes to an hour). 

Serving
12. Cut into wedges with a hot knife and serve immediately. 

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." 

Thomas Edison

Thankfully, I've just found 2 ways that won't work. The ingredients are simple. However, incorporating the cheese mixture with egg white and water bath can be tricky. I banked on  my experience on chiffon cake making and the water bath method I used for chocolate cookies and cream cheesecake. Viola! My first successful Japanese cotton cheesecake!

This was a request from my mama. It's a joy to receive baking requests especially from mama. She ate most of the failed cheesecakes and encouraged me to try again. Oh yes, she's the one who encouraged me to enrol in baking classes to learn the basics. 

This fluffy cheesecake is an alternative to the rich American cheesecakes. It contains lesser fats but tastes wonderfully delish. As light as feather and as soft as cotton, its smooth and fine texture causes it to melt in your mouth almost immediately. 

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

(Adapted from Diana's Desserts)

Ingredients:
- 140g fine granulated sugar
- 6 egg whites
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 50g butter
- 250g cream cheese
- 100ml fresh milk
- 60g cake flour (can also use plain flour)
- 20g corn flour
- 1/4 tsp salt


Method:
1. Prepare the 8-inch springform so that no water leaks into it while baking. Place a large 16-inch by 16-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

Tips:

Line the sides of your cake tin. Make sure the baking paper extends higher than the cake tin by about 1.5 inches. If you prepare the batter correctly, you will notice that it rises very well during baking. You need that extra height from the baking paper to prevent possible spillage.

Tenting with a foil. This is recommended as the cake top browns very easily. I use a sheet of aluminium foil and loosely place it over the tin. You have to provide ample room for the cake to rise, it will get stuck onto the foil. Remove it only in the last 30 seconds of baking time, just for it to brown.

2. Preheat oven to 160°C, with rack in lower third of oven. 

3. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Cool the mixture. Fold in the flour, the cornflour, salt, egg yolks and mix well.

4. This is totally option, but because I am a perfectionist, I want a lump-free, smooth as silk batter. So once I have combined the filings, I usually strain it using a wire mesh sieve. 

5. Beat egg whites with medium speed until you can see big bubbles, add in cream of tartar. Continue to beat until the bubbles become fine soft peak, gradually add in caster sugar and continue to beat until stiff peak. Change the mixer speed to lowest and continue to beat for 10 seconds. (this is to minimize the air bubbles in the cake)

6. Gently fold 1/3 of the beaten egg white into the cheese mixture, use cut and fold method until well blended. Then pour the batter back to the rest of the egg white and fold until mixture is well blended.

7. Pour batter evenly into the springform pan.

8. Bake cheesecake in a water bath for 35 to 40 mins or until set and golden brown at 160°C.

9. Leave to cool in oven with door ajar, about 30mins to 1 hour. Sudden changes in temperature may cause the cake to cool too quickly and collapse.

10. Unmould the cake immediately upon removal from oven. To prevent the cake from shrinking further. 

11. Once the cake is cooled, keep it in fridge to chill before serving.

Reference:

http://www.thelittleteochew.com/2011/03/japanese-cheesecake-tips-tricks.html

Chocolate cookies & cream cheesecake

When it comes to their beloved man's birthday cake, the wife requested for chocolate cookies and cream cheesecake like those from Cedele. The daughter chose a 2D Baby Milo as the theme for the cake.  

To the delight of the birthday man and his family.

y quest for the perfect cheesecake began. I wanted to find something unique. I wanted to find the cheesecake with the "secret ingredients". I wanted to find the cheesecake that everyone dying to have. 

Search and you shall find. I chanced upon perfect cheesecake recipe by Elise Bauer. I modified the recipe in accordance to the request (with apologies to the creator!). With no doubt, this is the best recipe for chocolate cookies & cream cheesecake I have ever tasted. Smooth and luscious, this cake always wins accolades. Yes, this cake is really good! Even if you don't like cheesecake, you will find yourself delighting in this cheesecake flavour.

Even though the idea of making a cheesecake can be little scary for some but you have to trust me here. Making a cheesecake is absolutely easy and actually very quickly apart from the cooling time it requires. 

Chocolate Cookies & Cream Cheesecake
(Modified from Perfect Cheesecake Receipe)
Yield: 16 servings
Cook time: 3 hours


INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 250g of digestive biscuits, finely ground
• 70g unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 900g cream cheese, room temperature
• 180g caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 160ml sour cream
• 160ml heavy whipping cream
• 3 oreo biscuits, finely ground

Toppings

• 3 oreo biscuits, finely ground

Special equipment needed

• 9-inch, 2 3/4-inch high springform pan
• Heavy duty, 18-inch wide, aluminum foil,
• A large, high-sided roasting pan

METHOD

Prepare the crust

1. Prepare the springform so that no water leaks into it while baking. Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

2. Preheat oven to 175°C (or 155°C for a fan-forced oven), with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the digestive biscuits in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put it in a large bowl and stir in the melted butter.

*Tip: If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can throw the biscuits into a large food storage bag and give it a good whack with a rolling pin or a heavy duty pot. You'll get out a lot of anger and stress that way. 

3. Put all the digestive biscuits crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. Gently press down on the crumbs using spatula, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan. Be careful, as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. Place in the own for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 165°C (or 145°C for fan-forced oven).

Yes, the crust is the absolute best part of a cheesecake.

Make the fillings

4. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on the medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and cream. Add the sugar, and beat for 4 more minutes. Add the vanilla and beat after the addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that the paddle attachment has failed to incorporate.

5. This is totally option, but because I am a perfectionist, I want a lump-free, smooth as silk batter. So once I have combined the filings, I usually strain it using a wire mesh sieve. Fold in the cookie crumbs.

Cook the cheesecake

6. Place the foil-wrapped springform in a large, high-sided pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the digestive biscuits base bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting plan with springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake. Pour until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the boiling water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) Bake at 165°C (or 145°C for fan-forced oven) for 1 1/2 hours.

7. Turn off the heat of the oven and let the cake cool in the oven for 15 minutes. 

8. Crack open the oven door, 1-inch and continue to let the cake cool in the oven for another hour. This gentle cooling will proven the cheesecake surface from cracking. 

9. Remove the springform pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack completely. 

10. Cover the cooled cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum 4-hours or overnight. 

Serving

11. Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from the sides of the pan, and place the cheesecake on your cake serving dish. Run the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cheesecake and the pan. Open the springfoam latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread the top with finely ground oreo cookies.