Shelly's Recipe

CAPPUCCINO FUDGE CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

Crust
1 9-oz box chocolate wafer cookies or 9 oz of homemade chocolate wafers
6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
7 tbsp hot melted unsalted butter

Ganache
1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream
20 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur

Filling
3 8-oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 tbsp dark rum
1 1/2 tbsp instant espresso powder or coffee crystals
1 1/2 tbsp ground whole espresso coffee beans (medium-coarse grind) (I skipped this, increased the espresso powder instead)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp mild-flavored light molasses
3 large eggs

Topping
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

A handful of chocolate covered espresso beans (optional)

Make crust: Finely grind cookies, chopped chocolate, brown sugar, and nutmeg in processor. Add butter and process until crumbs begin to stick together, scraping down bowl occasionally, about 1 minute. Transfer crumbs to 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Wrap plastic wrap around fingers and press crumb mixture firmly up sides to within 1/2 inch of top edge, then over bottom of pan.

Make ganache: Bring cream to simmer in large saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and Kahlua. Whisk until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Pour 2 cups ganache over bottom of crust. Freeze until ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes. Reserve remaining ganache; cover and let stand at room temperature to use later for decorating.

Make filling: Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until blended. Scrape down bowl, making sure you get to the bottom, where little pockets of unmixed cream cheese love to hid. Beat in flour. Stir rum, espresso powder, ground coffee, vanilla, and molasses in small bowl until instant coffee dissolves; beat into cream cheese mixture. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition.

Pour filling over cold ganache in crust - it will go nearly all of the way to the top. Place cheesecake on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until top is brown, puffed and cracked at edges, and the center two inches moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken, about one hour. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Cool 15 minutes while preparing topping (top of cheesecake will fall slightly, making room for topping). Maintain oven temperature.

Make topping: Whisk sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Pour topping over hot cheesecake, spreading to cover filling completely. Bake until topping is set, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Refrigerate hot cheesecake on rack until cool, about three hours.

Run small sharp knife between crust and pan sides to loosen cake; release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Spoon reserved ganache into pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe 6 diagonal lines atop cheesecake, spacing 1 inch apart. Repeat in opposite direction, making lattice. Pipe rosettes stars of ganache around top edge of cake. Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired. Chill until lattice is firm, at least 6 hours.

Do ahead: Cake is best made a day ahead, so the flavors have time to settle. It can be made up to four days ahead. Wrap loosely in foil, forming dome over lattice; keep chilled.