Chocolate-Chai Cheesecake

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

Source: Pulaski Tech Culinary Arts-Jan Lewandowski, CEPC

Categories: Pies, cheesecake, cobbler

Ingredients

  • Crust
  • 2 ups of Oreos, crushed
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • Filling
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate. chopped
  • 1 tsp. instant coffee powder
  • 24 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • Chai Whipped Cream (start day before):
  • 2 chai tea bags
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups (12 oz. white chocolate, chopped

Directions

  1. To make Chai Whipped Cream, heat 2 cups heavy cream just until it starts to steam. Steep with chai tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and squeeze to remove excess cream. Reheat cream just to a boil and remove from heat. Add white chocolate, let sit for 30 seconds to melt the chocolate, then whisk until smooth. Chill overnight.

  2. Flavor can easily be changed if desired— try different flavors of tea such as Earl Grey, or instant coffee or a coffee pod for a mocha flavor.

  3. Cheesecake:

  4. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper for easier removal.

  5. Process chocolate cookies in food processor with melted butter and powdered sugar. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides if desired. Reserve a small amount for garnish.

  6. Bake the crust 10 to 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven.

  7. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

  8. Combine the cream and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container. Heat, stirring at 30 second increments, until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth. Add the coffee powder and set aside.

  9. Beat together the cream cheese nd sugar t low speed (use paddle attachment with stand mixer), until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bo9wl nd beat agai on low until smooth.

  10. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping mixture with rubber spatula after each addition.

  11. Add vanilla, then the flour.

  12. Add the chocolate/cream mixture, beating slowly, until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bowl with rubber spatula, then mix again until smooth.

  13. Pour the batter atop the crust in a pan. Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, unti8l a toothpick inserted into the cake 1 inch from the outside edge comes out clean. You can also check the temperature with a thermometer- it should read 175 degrees, 1 inch from the outside edge.

  14. Turn off the oven, crack the door open several inches and allow the cake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate it until chilled completely or overnight.

  15. Take chocolate chai whipped cream mixture from refrigerator. Mixture will have a thicker consistency similar to yogurt. Whip with mixer or whip attachment on stand mixer until mixture forms peaks. Reserve in fridge until ready to frost.

  16. Remove cheesecake from pan and place on serving board or plate. Spread chai whipped cream on top of cheesecake and smooth with an offset cake spatula. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate crumbs. Chill in fridge until ready to serve.

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