Flour Your Dreams Bakery
As hard as it is to fathom launching a business in the throes of a global pandemic, imagine opening a bakery when there is no yeast to be found...anywhere. Such was the situation in April and such was...
This luxurious cheesecake from Flour Your Dreams Bakery is baked in a water bath, which tempers the heat and keeps it almost mousse-like in the center.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 3/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
CAKE
- 2 cups bittersweet chocolate, such as Godiva
- 24 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Dutched cocoa powder
- 4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon brandy or whiskey
Ganache
- 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate
- 1/4 cup butter, rough cut
Preparation
1. To prepare crust, heavily grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Combine crumbs and melted butter in springform pan, mix and press together thoroughly to cover bottom.
2. Bake at 325F for 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Leave oven on.
3. To prepare cake, place chocolate in heat-proof bowl. Bring water to a boil in a pot and turn off burner. Place bowl with chocolate over boiling water, ensuring bowl does not touch the water. Stir chocolate continuously until fully melted. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars and cocoa powder and continue mixing on medium speed.
5. Add eggs, yolks, heavy cream, vanilla, and brandy and mix until just combined. Scrape mixture into crust in springform pan. Wrap bottom and sides of springform pan with aluminum foil.
6. Bring a full kettle of water to a boil. Place roasting pan in center of oven. Place springform pan into roasting pan and carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan.
7. Bake 60 – 80 minutes. Cake will be done when edges look set while center remains somewhat glossy and jiggly. It will look undercooked but will set fully as it cools. (Pro Tip: Run a very sharp knife around the edge of the springform pan when removed from oven. This will keep cake from cracking in the center.) Let cool to room temperature and transfer to refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. Do not remove from pan.
8. To prepare ganache, bring heavy cream to light boil in saucepan, stirring regularly. Add chocolate to heat-proof bowl. Pour half heavy cream over chocolate and let sit one minute. Whisk mixture slowly then slowly add remaining heavy cream. Add butter and continue to mix until fully incorporated.
9. Remove cake from fridge. Carefully remove ring from springform pan and pour ganache over top. Shave dark chocolate over top if desired.
