Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE I

Category: Cheesecake

4 dozen chocolate wafers
1/4 lb butter, melted
2 tbsp gelatin
4 tbsp cold water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup strong espresso coffee
1 15-oz container ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp fine ground instant espesso coffee
1 tbsp toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400. Butter a 10-inch springform pan.

Using a rolling pin crush chocolate wafers to fine crumbs. Set aside 1/2 cup of crumbs and transfer remaining crumbs to a bowl; stir in melted butter. Press crumb mixture on bottom and halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake 5 minutes; cool completely.

In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let soften. In a large bowl combine hot espresso with sugar and gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve. Let cool slightly. Add ricotta cheese and beat until
smooth. Stir in vanilla. In a chilled bowl whip 1/2 cup of the cream to stiff peaks; fold into coffee mixture. Pour half of coffee mixture into crust, top with reserved cookie crumbs and cover with remaining coffee mixture. Smooth top. Chill overnight.

To serve, run a knife around edge of pan to loosen and carefully remove springform rim. Whip remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream flavored with instant espresso to stiff peaks, transfer to a pastry tube and pipe decorative rosettes on cake. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.