Cheesecakes

Tuxedo Cheesecake

Vanilla mascarpone mousse studded with chocolate rests on tiers of fudge cake and chocolate cheesecake in this elegant confection. A perfect dessert for a black-tie affair! As with all layered desserts, this cheesecake does take time to prepare. However, it is not as difficult to make as it seems since the bottom two layers are baked together and then topped with the mousse and ganache once cooled. Regardless, you’ll want to prepare  Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake recipe a day ahead so you have plenty of time to relax before your next formal dinner party.

Start to finish: 3 hours
Serves:24  Makes two cheesecakes.

This cheesecake would cost 45$ plus tax, but you can make this for about 15$ or less per cheesecake.  Quite the savings!!

Tip:: For a cheese cake that does not crack follow these instructions: Fill a pan 3/4 from the top with hot water and set in bottom rack of oven while preheating oven  Leave the pan in the oven while cheesecakes are baking.  Do not over beat your cream cheese, make sure it is at room temp and soft before mixing.  Also make sure it is smooth before you add wet ingredients.

For the Chocolate Crust

• 8 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 sticks unsalted butter

For the Chocolate Cheesecake

• Filling
  
  • 2 pounds full-fat cream cheese, warmed to room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup sour cream, warmed to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

For the Fudge Cake

• 3 cups sugar
• 4 cups sour cream
• 2 tablepoons vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/3 cup cocoa
• 4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tsp teaspoon salt

For the Vanilla Mascarpone Mousse

• 2 cup white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup mascarpone
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped to the size of mini chocolate chips

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 2 lb. semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 c. heavy cream

Make the Chocolate Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar together.
3. Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and add the cookie crumbs; stir to combine.
4. Press the cookie crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of  2- 10-inch springform pan.
5. Bake crust for 10 minutes, remove from oven and cool completely.

Make the Fudge Cake and the Chocolate Cheesecake

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
5. Divide the batter and pour the batter into the springform pans containing the crusts and set aside.
6. Then: in a small saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the chocolate.
7. Prepare the cheesecake filling as directed and add the melted chocolate to the filling ingredients.
8. Stir the cheesecake and chocolate mixture until it is well incorporated.
9. Gently pour the cheesecake batter on top of the fudge cake batter in the springform pan.
10. Bake cake for 45 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
11. Cool the cake to room temperature and then refrigerate it while you prepare the mousse and ganache.

Make the Vanilla Mascarpone Mousse

1. Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate and mascarpone together, stirring occasionally to combine.
2. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
3. In a separate bowl using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream to medium stiff peaks.
4. Add the heavy cream into the chocolate mixture. Work quickly as the white chocolate could become grainy if it cools before the cream is fully incorporated. 
5. Gently fold the chocolate pieces into the mousse and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Make the Chocolate Ganache

1. In a medium saucepan, scald the cream.
2. Place the chocolate chips in a bowl and add the cream slowly to it, stirring until the chips are melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy.

Assembling the Cake

1. The first two layers of your cakes are already assembled in the springform pans, which has been cooling in the refrigerator.
2. Using a spatula, spread 1/2 of the vanilla mascarpone mousse on top each of the cheesecake layers.
3. Finish the cakes by smoothing a layer of chocolate ganache on top of each the vanilla mascapone mousse.
4. Place the cheesecake into the refrigerator for at least two hour before serving. If you want to freeze one, let it sit in the freezer for until totally frozen.  Cover the ganache top with wax paper of saran wrap,  Then wrap whole cheese cake.  When thawing be sure to remove all the wrap before thawing so the ganache will not stick or become tacky.

Turtle Cheesecake

I love turtle candy bars and this cheesecake does the trick for me.  It also freezes well.

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

14 ounce pkg caramels

5 ounce can evaorated milk

2 cups chopped pecans, toasted, divided

32 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

6 ounces chocolate chips, meltd/slightly coold

whipped cream, optional

Combine crumbs and butter. Blend well. Press into the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 10" springform pan. Bake at 350 F. for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool.

 In a saucepan over Low heat, melt caramels in milk, stirring until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Pour into crust. Top with 1 1/2 cups of pecans.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add

chocolate. Mix just until blended. Carefully spread over pecans

. Bake at 350 F. for 55-65 minutes or until filling is almost set. Cool to room temperature. Chill overnight. Garnish with remaining pecans and whipped  cream, if desired.

Use tips at begging of page