Triple Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
6" Cheesecake
Loraine and I are in the midst of trying to create the perfect chocolate cherry cheesecake and although we believe that there is potential to refine this desert even more than we have already we have decided to present our last attempt because it was very close to what we are looking for.
Some of the unique characteristics of our chocolate cheese cake includes the use of 72% baking chocolate. We also incorporate 18%MF sour cream and we use brown Demerara sugar which has a higher proportion of molasses than other types of cane sugars. But, we believe the really key, is that the cheesecake is much lighter than most cheesecakes as we whip 2 egg whites into stiff peaks and then fold them into the cheesecake filling prior to baking.
Ingredients
Crust
- 3 oz chocolate wafer cookies
- 1/8 cup butter, melted
- 1 tbsp Demerara brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
Filling
- 7 oz. 72% chocolate
- 8 oz. cream cheese (room temp)
- 3/4 cup Demerara brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs, separated (room temp)
- 1/4 cup 18%MF sour cream
- 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 3 oz 35% whipping cream
- 1 tbsp Demerara brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 oz. 72% chocolate
- 1/8 tsp black cherry flavor
White Chocolate Ganache
- 3 oz 35% whipping cream
- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 oz. white chocolate
Decoration
- 3 maraschino cherries with stems
Directions
- Heat oven to 300°F
- Use tinfoil to seal the outside of a 6" circular cheesecake or springform pan.
- Butter the inside of the pan.
- Using a food processor breakup (crumble) the wafers, add the butter, 2 tbsp. brown sugar and salt.
- Press the crumb mixture into bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 7 minutes.
- Stir chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water (or use double boiler) until melted and smooth. Allow to cool.
- Beat cream cheese at low speed until creamy (4 min). Gradually add the sugar, salt and cocoa powder until blended (2 min).
- Add egg yolks one at a time beating after each addition.
- Add sour cream and blend.
- Reduce speed and add the vanilla.
- Drizzle in melted chocolate and beat until blended.
- Beat egg whites in a metal bowl until they form stiff peaks. Mix 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter. Then fold the balance of egg whites into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the pan and level.
- Place the pan in roasting pan and add boiling water half way up side.
- Bake for 45 minutes on the middle rack, remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes to cool
- Cover with aluminum foil and chill overnight.
- Heat the 3 oz of whipping cream, 1 tbsp Demerara brown sugar and 1/2 tbsp of butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place 3 oz of chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream mixture over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Add the cherry flavor and stir until smooth. Set aside until needed, no less than 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and cover with the chocolate ganache.
- Place the cheesecake back in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Heat the 3 oz of whipping cream and 1/2 tbsp of the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place 3 oz white chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Set aside until needed, no less than 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and cover with the white chocolate ganache.
- Embed the maraschino cherries into the white ganache.
- Place the cheesecake back in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Prepare the dark chocolate ganache.
Prepare the white chocolate ganache.