Casanova Got it Right...

It is rumoured that Casanova, the original Mr. Lova-Lova, would drink a mug of chocolate before lovemaking as he thought it to be a natural aphrodisiac.   In recent times chocolate has found itself on the A-list of Superfoods that are beneficial to one’s health due to flavonoids blah, blah, blah...  

For this short, but appropriately sweet post, I prefer to stick to the sexy side of chocolate. This is simply because I believe not TOO much can be sexier when it comes to food, than a combination of silky cheesecake and decadent chocolate, combined with the sultry undertones of coffee liquor.  Add these lip quivering flavours and textures to a lightly salted crust… and Baby, you're shooting for the moon...

Kahlua Chocolate Cheesecake with Saltine Crust

Makes 12 servings

Crust ingredients:

35 Saltine crackers (1 sleeve)

¼ cup packed brown sugar

6 tbs unsalted butter, melted

Filling ingredients:

7 oz Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

2 oz unsalted butter

¼ cup Kahlua Coffee Liquor

3 x 8oz packages Philidelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 eggs, room temperature

Process:

1.     Preheat oven to 325F.

2.     Melt Chocolate chips and butter with Kahlua, over a double boiler on the stove, stirring until smooth.  Put aside and let cool until needed.

3.     Crush Saltines in a zip top bag with a rolling pin until very fine, otherwise you can use a foodprocessor to pulse the crackers until crushed – so much easier…

4.     Pour crumbs and brown sugar into a medium bowl, then slowly pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until combined.

5.     Lightly butter only the sides of a 9 inch springform pan, then tip the cracker mixture into the bottom and press it 1 inch up the sides of the pan, using the bottom of a measuring cup to make an even crust.

6.     Bake in oven for 15 – 17 mins, then set aside to cool.

7.     In a large bowl beat the cream cheese on medium speed for a minute until smooth.  Add the sugar and continue beating for a further minute.  * It is important to use room temperature cream cheese as the mixture will be lumpy if it is cold.

8.     Add the vanilla and beat briefly.

9.     Stir the cooled chocolate mixture and slowly pour into cream cheese, while beating on medium speed.

10.  Once the chocolate is fully mixed in, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until each egg is just combined.

11. Pour into prepared crust and bake for 45 – 55 mins, carefully rotating the pan after 30 mins.  The middle of the cheesecake should jiggle slightly when done.

12. Remove from the oven, and immediately run a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake to release it. 

13. Let cool completely in the pan, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.  Yes, yes, that’s a long time but aren’t all the best things in life worth waiting for??

 

Hello Beautiful...