Layered Mocha Cheesecake Recipe
In my search for the perfect mocha cheesecake, I combined favorite recipes to create this delicious version. Its a feast for the eyes and the palate.
In my search for the perfect mocha cheesecake, I combined favorite recipes to create this delicious version. Its a feast for the eyes and the palate.
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- filling:
- glaze:
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese softened
- 1-1/2 cups oreo cookie crumbs
- 2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
- chocolate-covered coffee beans optional
- Carbohydrate 6.29775078521102 g
- Cholesterol 75.7151171996694 mg
- Fat 25.2978671149935 g
- Fiber 0.593181239727923 g
- Protein 4.10121976605972 g
- Saturated Fat 14.6017297847551 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (97g)
- Sodium 250.781281314545 mg
- Sugar 5.70456954548309 g
- Trans Fat 3.17866476599843 g
- Calories 264 calories
Step-by-step
- Place greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
- In a small bowl, mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom of prepared pan. In another bowl, mix the coffee granules, hot water and cinnamon; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.
- Divide batter in half. Stir melted chocolate into one portion; pour over crust. Stir coffee mixture into the remaining batter; spoon over chocolate layer. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
- Bake at 325degrees for 60-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes; loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove rim from pan. For glaze, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake. Top with coffee beans if desired.
Swapping all-purpose flour for cornstarch at a 1:2 ratio fundamentally alters the crumb structure, yielding a much silkier, denser slice by restricting gluten formation in the heavy batter. Heavy cream cheese requires absolute room temperature before mixing to prevent stubborn lumps that survive even aggressive beating. Softened blocks incorporate air evenly without requiring high mixer speeds that trap destructive pockets of air.
Overbeating introduces air bubbles that expand in the oven and subsequently collapse, causing unsightly cracks across the mocha surface. Adding eggs last and mixing strictly on low speed keeps the emulsion intact and dense. Four blocks of cheese demand patience during this creaming phase, requiring frequent bowl scraping to ensure uniform incorporation of sugar and vanilla.
A proper water bath insulates the springform pan, diffusing radiant oven heat so the outer edges do not overbake while the center remains raw. Wrapping the base tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil prevents water infiltration, which ruins the crust. Baking at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for sixty to sixty-five minutes stops when the center is just set and the top loses its glossy sheen.
Thermal shock causes rapid contraction, so cooling the baked dessert gradually on a wire rack for ten minutes before loosening the edges with a thin knife prevents tearing against the metal ring. Overnight refrigeration solidifies the fats completely, allowing clean cuts through the distinct chocolate and coffee strata when portioning out the sixteen servings.
