Ganache Topped Mocha Cheescake

What can I say?

I love to barter.  The idea of trading talents goes back to the beginning of time.  Imagine if we did not have to depend on money to get the goods we needed or wanted.

I love farmers markets.  All of the fresh produce and home made baked goods cry out to me.  The live music, ethnic food and beverages turn an ordinary Sunday morning into a party every week.

One Sunday we were chatting with a vendor who owns Dante’s Pesto. I happened to mention to him that I am a pastry chef and he became quite excited.  “Do you barter?” he asked me.  “Sure, what do you want?” “Do you make cheesecake?” “Of course, what kind so you want?”  Without hesitation, he blurted out “Mocha cheesecake covered in chocolate!  This guy was serious about his cheesecake.  I told him I would bring him one the following weekend in exchange for $30.00 worth of pesto.  Deal!  The above picture is my part of the barter.

Mocha Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups finely ground chocolate cookies

1 cup sugar

3 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

1 # cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream or mascarpone, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, room temperature

pinch of salt

1/4 cup espresso

1 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

 

Prepare 9″ cake pan:  Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of pan.  Spray pan liberally with non-stick spray and place parchment paper into pan.  You may use a spring form pan if you prefer (I can’t stand them for cheesecakes!!) just be sure to double wrap with heavy duty foil before placing in water bath.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter in small bowl.  Press into the bottom of prepared pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Lower oven temperature to 200 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and sour cream or mascarpone in a food processor or with an electric mixer until smooth and lump free.  Add sugar, egg, and salt and continue mixing.  Add espresso and melted chocolate and mix thoroughly.

Pour cream cheese mixture over baked crust.  Place pan in a larger roaster type pan and add water until it reaches half way up the side of the cheesecake pan.  Bake in preheated 200 degree oven for 2 hours.  This low temperature and longer baking time keeps the cheescake from developing those annoying cracks in the center.

Allow cheesecake to cool on the counter until it is cool enough to wrap with plastic and place in refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

 

Remove cheesecake from refrigerator.  Cover a dinner plate with plastic wrap, make sure it is pulled taut.  Turn on your gas or electric burner.  Warm the bottom of the pan to warm the cheesecake slightly so it will release from the pan.  It may take several turns at the burner until it reaches this point.  Make sure you don’t just sit the pan on the burner.  Hold it over the heat, close enough so it will warm the pan.  I set my pan on the electric burner and spin it slowly, always keep it in motion.  Do this if you are comfortable with this method.  Place plastic covered plate on top of cake pan and invert.  The cake should slide out of the pan.  If it does not, go back and heat again.  If you have a blow torch, you can skip the stove method and just heat the pan bottom after you have inverted it onto the plastic covered plate.  Place serving plate on top of crust and turn back to upright position.  If the plate sticks to the top of the cheesecake, remove the plate from the plastic and peel the plastic off the cake.   Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator until you are ready to top it with the ganache.

Ganache

1 # bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy cream 40% fat

1 TBSP corn syrup or glycerine

Combine the ingredients in  double boiler and melt over simmering water until completely smooth.  Let sit, stirring occasionally, until the ganache is thick enough to pipe.  This does not happen quickly, so please be patient.  Using a star tip and pastry bag, decorate the top of the cake.

I wish I had a little video to insert in here so I could demonstrate how I did the top.  If you don’t want to go to the trouble or are unsure of how this is done, you can opt for just pouring the thickened  ganche over the top and smoothing it with an offset spatula.

  

 

 

 

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