MY CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE STORY

MY CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
Saw Nigella bake one of these beauties on T&L and started drooling. So I decided to bake one myself. I did not follow her recipe though. I have this amazing book with 1001 brilliant cake recipes from around the world. Picked a chocolate cake recipe from there and did my own adjustments to suit availality of ingredients.
I had baked a cheesecake a week before. A Mango cheesecake using hung curd. It turned out well (will share pic and recipe soon) But my chocolate cheesecake deserved the best. No substitutes woul so. So I ran to Spencers and brought a 200 gram cream cheese packet (Rs 150) along with Amul's frsh cream. I used an Indian made cream cheese called 'Kodagu' cream cheese. Kodagu is a hilly region in Karnataka. When i tasted it and smelt it, it wasnt upto mark with the creamcheese i had tried in Europe. Anyway the Philly was way too expensive. i decided to give it a try. It smelt like malai/milk cream does after you have stored it too long.

Here is the recipe:
Crumb layer:
1 cup of marie biscuit bashed uo with a rolling pin into crumbs
1 tbsp of soft butter
1tsp of coffee powder

Filling:
2/3 cup melted dark chocolate
2/3 cup cream cheese
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup sour cream
2 large eggs,
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp cocoa powder

Topping : 1/3 cup melted chocolate, 1/3 cup icing sugar, 1/2 cup whipped cream, 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Butter an 8 inch cake mould. Mix the biscuit crumbs, coffee and butter till smooth. Layer it in the mould. Press down hard with your palms and partway around the sides of the mould. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes at 150 degrees centigrade. Let cool in a refrigerator while you prepare filling.
Filling:
Take care while melting chocolate that diret heat is not applied. Do it in a double boiler. Dat means simply, place the chocolate bowl over barely boiling water and keep stirrong to evenly distribute the heat. Set aside to cool. Mix in the sour cream and cocoa in a separate bowl. Beat the cream cheese, vanilla and sugar in an electric mixer untill creamy. Separate egg whites from the yolk. Beat in the egg yolk to this mixture. Stir in the sour cream mixture followed with flour and then the melted chocolate. Beat egg white till fluffy and very gently fold it into the mixture. If you beat the egg white too early efore using they go flat in a few minutes and it is impossible to whip them to the original fluffiness again (as I found out the hard way).
Spoon the filling onto the crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool the cake thoroughly (5 hours). Loosen the sides and remove the pan gently.
Topping as shown in pic:
I simply whipped some cream with some melted chocolate and icing sugar.
1/2 cup whipped cream, 1/3 cup icing sugar, 1/3 cup melted chocolate. You can use 2 tbsp cocoa powder to replace the melted chocolate.
I whipped all the ablove together and applied on cake. Sprinkle cocoa powder all over the icing. Then using a spoon pour any leftover melted chocolate in patterns on cake. Serve chilled.

I was very pleased with my first attempt. The recipe looks long but once you start making it it isnt so tough. We ate this over 3 days. I dont have to pay 80 bucks for a decent slice of cheesecake anymore. i can bake my own at home :-)



I did not cut the cheesecake till my husband saw it in full glory. He almost fought with me for not letting him eat a slice till i had clicked pics. He simple loved it!
Next time I will try a cheesecake recipe with chocolate liqueor and rum.

Handy Tip: Hung yogurt is a good substitute of cream cheese.