Bon Appetit Desserts (53 page)

With espresso and chocolate flavors combined in the filling, this cheesecake is dessert and after-dinner coffee in one. Using semisweet chocolate chips will make this recipe go faster, but if you have a favorite semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, go ahead and use it—just be sure to chop it into chip-size pieces.
12 servings

8 whole graham crackers, crushed

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1½ cups sugar, divided

1½ cup heavy whipping cream

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or coffee powder

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

4 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate curls (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix graham crackers, melted butter, and ¼ cup sugar in medium bowl to blend. Press crumb mixture onto bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Bake crust 10 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack. Maintain oven temperature.

Combine cream, espresso powder, and vanilla in small bowl. Stir until espresso powder dissolves. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining 1¼ cups sugar, then eggs 1 at a time. Beat in flour, then espresso mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter over crust.

Bake cake until edges are puffed and beginning to crack and center is just set, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 30 minutes. Chill cake uncovered until cold, about 6 hours. Cover; keep chilled at least 1 day and up to 2 days. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Top cheesecake with chocolate curls, if desired.

Almond Joy Cheesecake

Here’s a delicious ode to the chocolate, coconut, and almond candy bars—coconut and almonds are even added to the crust.
10 to 12 servings

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

1½ cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

¼ cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

4 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

1 tablespoon coconut extract

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

CRUST
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides with foil. Finely grind cracker crumbs, coconut, almonds, and sugar in processor. Add melted butter; process until moist crumbs form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake crust until set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

FILLING
: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Fold in flaked coconut and coconut extract, then almonds. Pour batter over crust in pan.

Bake cake until puffed and no longer jiggling in center when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

GLAZE
: Combine chocolate chips, cream, and vanilla in small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until smooth. Cool until glaze begins to thicken but is still pourable, about 30 minutes. Pour glaze over cooled cake; spread evenly. Chill cake overnight.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides and serve cake.

Black Forest Cheesecake

This is a cheesecake riff on Black Forest cake, the chocolate-and-cherry dessert named for Germany’s Black Forest. Sour cherry syrup is available at specialty foods stores and from online retailers such as
amazon.com
.
12 to 14 servings

1 pound frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed

¼ cup kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

¼ cup (about) Morello cherry syrup or sour cherry syrup

8½ ounces chocolate wafer cookies (from one 9-ounce package)

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1½ cups chilled heavy whipping cream

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), coarsely chopped

2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon kirsch (clear cherry brandy)

Chocolate curls (optional)

CHERRY TOPPING
: Combine cherries and kirsch in medium bowl. Steep 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Place cherries with juices in strainer set over medium bowl. Let drain 2 hours, shaking occasionally.

Pour cherry juices from bowl into 1-cup measuring cup; add enough cherry syrup to measure 1 cup. Pour 6 tablespoons juice mixture into heavy medium skillet (reserve remaining liquid for filling). Halve cherries and add to skillet. Boil until syrup is thickened and mixture resembles preserves, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

CRUST
: Generously butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Using on/off turns, finely crush cookies in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until mixture begins to stick together. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan. Chill crust at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

FILLING
: Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir cream and chocolate in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts. Cool 10 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in chocolate mixture, then remaining cherry juice mixture and vanilla. Pour filling into crust.

Bake cheesecake until outer 2 inches of cake are firm but center still moves slightly, about 1 hour 15 minutes (top may crack). Cool completely in pan on rack. Top cake pan with paper towels and cover tightly with foil. Chill 1 to 2 days.

Remove foil and paper towels. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides. Spread cherry topping over cake.

KIRSCH WHIPPED CREAM
: Whisk cream, sugar, and kirsch in large bowl until peaks form. Spoon into center of cake. Top with chocolate curls, if desired.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 hours ahead; chill.

Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

S’mores Cheesecake with Summer Berries

The ingredients for s’mores, that classic American cookout dessert, translate wonderfully into this chocolate cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and marshmallow topping. Serving juicy, in-season berries alongside is the crowning summery touch.
8 to 10 servings

9 whole graham crackers, finely ground in processor

3 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted

9 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2 large egg whites, room temperature

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

⅛ teaspoon salt

12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1-pint container raspberries

1 1-pint container blueberries

CRUST
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F

FILLING
: Stir chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water and cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt in processor; blend until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. With motor running, add whipping cream through feed tube and process just until blended. With motor running, add melted chocolate, then add eggs 1 at a time, blending and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition until batter is smooth. Pour batter over crust in pan.

Bake cake until outer edge is slightly puffed and cake is barely set in center (center will look shiny and move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Chill uncovered until cold, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

TOPPING
: Whisk sugar, egg whites, 3 tablespoons water, cream of tartar, and salt in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens and is hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and stir in marshmallows (keep water simmering in saucepan). Let stand until marsh-mallows soften, about 3 minutes. Set bowl with mixture over simmering water again. Using handheld electric mixer, beat until stiff shiny peaks form, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Scrape topping onto cheesecake. Using offset metal spatula, spread topping to edges of cake, swirling decoratively. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes. Using kitchen torch, lightly brown topping in spots. (Or preheat broiler; place cake at least 4 inches from heat source and broil just until topping is lightly browned in spots, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.) Chill cake uncovered until cold.