Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake coated with a Caramel Glaze. This would be the perfect ending to a Valentine's Day Dinner. This cheesecake needs to refrigerate overnight so plan ahead.
It's time for a new year of bakes with the Cake Slice Bakers......
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Dark Chocolate Cajeta Cheesecake
Lemon-Olive Oil Chiffon Cake
- No members of the group selected this cake to bake
When I thumbed through this cookbook when it arrived, I noted that the recipes are divided into categories. Starting with Party Favorites followed by Cakes to Eat with Champagne, Casual Cakes, Single & Fabulous, Mega Jazz Hands, Big Beautiful Bundts, Baby Cakes, and Holiday Cakes.
This cake was listed in Single & Fabulous. These are not smaller cakes that you bake for one but single-layer cakes, including this amazing cheesecake that I made for our daughter, Nicole, and her husband when they joined us for dinner one evening.
The author shares tips before she begins sharing the recipes so that you have the best success possible while using this book. I'm looking forward to a year's worth of baking from it. I hope all the cakes turn out as well as this first.
I made this cheesecake exactly as written, however, I omitted the Cajeta. Neither my husband nor my daughter are caramel fans. I love caramel and had a container of caramel syrup in my refrigerator that my husband uses to make Milky Way Martinis (another great Valentine Day recipe) and I used this on my piece of cheesecake. The others enjoyed theirs just as I am sharing the recipe.
Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 16 whole sheets of graham crackers
- 1 1/4 c. brown sugar, divided3
- 3 T. baking cocoa
- sea salt
- 8 T. butter, melted
- 10 oz. (1 bag) dark chocolate chips ( I used Ghiradelli)
- 2 t. espresso powder
- 16 oz. (2 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 1 T. vanilla
- Caramel sauce, if desired (I used Torani)
Instructions
- Place the graham crackers, 1/4 c. of the brown sugar, baking cocoa, and a pinch of salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until very fine crumbs are left. Drizzle with the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press into the bottom of a springform pan that has been lined with parchment on the bottom and liberally sprayed with baking spray. Use a glass to tamp down the crumbs evenly across the bottom.
- Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 10 minutes, until browned around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside. Increase oven heat to 400*
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil while you make the filling.
- Place the chocolate chips and espresso powder into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high, in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and remaining brown sugar on low until smooth, scraping frequently.
- Whisk together the eggs and yolk and slowly add to the cream cheese mixture while still on low speed. Mix until well combined. Add the sour cream, a pinch of salt and the vanilla, and continue to mix on low speed until well blended. Gradually add pour in the chocolate, mixing until combined.
- Remove bowl from mixer, stir with a spatula to make sure everything is well combined, and pour onto the crust in the springform pan.
- Place the pan of boiling water on the bottom shelf of the preheated 400* oven. Place the cheesecake on the top shelf of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 250* and continue to bake for 45 minutes, until edges are set and middle is still jiggly. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake remain inside with the door ajar for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let come to room temperature. Seal tightly in the pan and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove the sides of the pan, cut into 10 equal pieces, and plate, cover the top with caramel sauce, if desired.
Notes
Adapted from a recipe found in The Cake Book by Rebecca Firth
Nutrition Facts
Calories
716.76Fat (grams)
46.4 gSat. Fat (grams)
28.8 gCarbs (grams)
68.34 gFiber (grams)
2.44 gNet carbs
65.9 gSugar (grams)
47.27 gProtein (grams)
9.16 gSodium (milligrams)
451.32 mgCholesterol (grams)
155.59 mg
That cheesecake sounds sooooo decadent. I love your caramel "punt" too, although cajeta sounds very intriguing. I'm not sure where I'd find goat's milk, lol.
ReplyDeleteI read that you can substitute almond milk for goat's milk.
DeleteYours looks beautiful! (and delicious) :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan
DeleteThe Cake Slice Bakers sound like a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteIt is. We would love to have you join us. Stop by the link and check it out.
DeleteI can't wait to try this. Leftover caramel sauce sounds like jus the thing! Or maybe a quick berry sauce.
ReplyDeleteBerries would be very good on this Cheesecake.
DeletePerfect for our Valentine's and I have some Caramel sauce, so we're on it!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Claudia.
Delete