Mocha Cheesecake

Get your daily dose of caffeine and dessert with this mocha cheesecake.

Sometimes- but only sometimes- you need an ultra-decadent concoction, full of chocolate, sugar and calories. If this is one of those days, you have come to the right place for this mocha cheesecake recipe.

Nothing to me is more comforting than a cheesecake made right. This cheesecake is equipped with all the qualities it should have: It is dense, lush and creamy. The moment it hits your palette you’ll be overwhelmed with a sense of happy wonder. And then you’ll dive in for another forkful. And another.

The flavor of coffee is great. But it’s even better when exemplified with bitter chocolate. Mocha cheesecake. Simple.

But be careful, not only because it’s possibly one of the richest desserts in the world, it has a generous dose of caffeine, making it not quite as friendly as a late-night treat- but of course, you could use decaf. Regardless, this is a dessert any coffee lover will cherish.

If you’re really against the whole mocha combination, you can leave out the coffee and you’ll end up with a fabulous chocolate cheesecake.

And if you want to take this to the next level, try using chocolate cookies instead of plain digestives in the crust.

I love this cheesecake adorned with raspberries if it’s summer, which helps cut through the decadence. Any berry or fruit should pair beautifully with this creation, but of course, it’s fine plain as well.

If your cheesecake cracks, don’t be worried – it happens. The only thing cracks affect is appearance; the cheesecake still retains all its other glory. And that’s why you gotta have the raspberries on hand to cover up any blemishes. Another tip, do not bake a cheesecake like a cake- it should still be jiggly in the center when the baking time is done. Once it cools completely, it will firm up. Over-baking your cheesecake will result in a bit of a grainy texture- and we want silky smooth. So tempting as it is, take the cheesecake out of the oven at the right time.

This mocha cheesecake recipe is perfect for any coffee lover, and a great way to celebrate a special occasion.

Mocha Cheesecake

Get your daily dose of caffeine and dessert with this mocha cheesecake.

Yield: 12 servings

Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 45 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 ½ cups (150g) cookie crumbs
• 4 tbsp (115g) butter, melted

For the filling:

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 24 oz (680g) cream cheese at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 8 oz (225g) bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup (250ml) sour cream
• 1-1½ tbsp instant espresso powder
• ½ cup (125ml) hot water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 inch springform pan with butter.
• To prepare the crust, stir together the cookie crumbs and melted butter. This can be done in the sprinform pan or in a separate dish. Press the mixture evenly and firmly on the bottom of the baking pan and set aside.
• To make the filling, combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer or whisk, until smooth.
• Add in the eggs and continue to mix until just blended. Be careful not to over-mix as this will lead to cracks in the cheesecake.
• Melt the chocolate in 20-second increments in the microwave or over a double boiler until smooth. Cool the chocolate slightly and then quickly stir it into the cheesecake batter.
• Pour in the heavy cream, sour cream, and stir till just combined.
• Dissolve the instant espresso powder in the hot water and add this to the batter along with the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well-blended.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread slightly so that the top is even.
• Bake for 45 minutes. The center will still be jiggly- but you want to take it out at that stage so that the cheesecake retains its creamy texture. It will solidify as it cools, so fear not.
• Cool thoroughly and chill before serving. If your cheesecake has any cracks, you can cover it up with berries (pictured above) or chocolate ganache.
• Serve cold with fresh berries and chocolate shavings.

Notes

Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century by Amanda Hesser.

Course: Dessert

Keyword: butter, Chocolate, Coffee, Dessert, Eggs

Looking for more coffee recipes to get a caffeine kick?

• Pumpkin cake with mocha fudge frosting
• Coffee, chocolate and vanilla swirl coffee cake
• Coffee and cream pavlova