Month: August 2009

Oh, and here is that chocolate cheesecake recipe from my friend Dani!

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE
Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 1 1/4 TO 1 ½ hours Chill: 6 hours
Serves: 12 to 16

This cake is rich, loaded with chocolate and raspberry jam. Serve small slices – a little goes a long way.

1 (9 0z) package chocolate wafer cookies *
3 Tbs butter (melted)
12 oz Semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups – C)
1 ½ C heavy cream
3/4 C seedless red raspberry jam
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
3/4 C Sugar
4 Eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325*F. In a food processor, grind cookies into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and process until thoroughly mixed. Press into bottom and about 1 inch up sides of a 9 inch spring form pan. Refrigerate crust while preparing filling.

2. In a 2 quart glass bowl, combine chocolate chips and 1 cup cream. Heat in a microwave oven on high 3 to 4 minutes, or until mixture is smooth, stirring twice. Mix in jam and stir until dissolved. Let cool 10 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar with a electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and chocolate-raspberry mixture and beat 5 minutes. Pour mixture into chilled crust.

4. Bake for 1 1/4 to 1/ ½ hours, or until cheesecake is set around edges, but still jiggles slightly in center. Let cake cool, then refrigerate until well chilled, 6 hours or overnight.

5. When ready to serve, run a knife around edge of pan to loosen cake and remove spring form side of pan. Whip remaining ½ cup cream an, using a pastry bag fitted with a ½ inch star tip, pipe a border around edges of cheesecake.

* You also can use chocolate graham crackers crushed or 2 pre-made Oreo pie crusts removed from their tins

Take care!
Joan

We were in Pensacola, Florida last week visiting family. While we were there, we dined on wonderful southern fried shrimp (Oh My!), hush puppies and cheese grits. All in all we had fried shrimp three times last week, so I had planned to go back to my regular diet. Thus said, my friend Dani decided to tempt me with her wonderful chocolate raspberry cheesecake.
Monday arrived; I had consumed my usual work week lunch of flat bread with hummus and baby greens, a banana, and one Dove chocolate. Dani had wanted me to stop by on the way home from work, to visit (and get cheesecake, of course!). Unfortunately, one of Dani’s dogs ate a toy and had thrown up all over the living room. This was not an atmosphere to eat cheesecake, so I drove home.
Later that evening, Dani’s son Travis arrived at the door with a plate with two slices of cheesecake. Since we had burgers that evening (although I had no bun and low-fat mayo), we declined to eat the dessert that evening. We really were full!
On Tuesday, I found that I had time to come home for lunch. After the delicious hummus sandwich–yum! I decided to forgo the banana and devoured the cheesecake.
This was no ordinary cheesecake! It was loaded with dark chocolate, had an Oreo cookie crust, and a raspberry finish! Hubby came in and I remarked on the wonderful dish. “Have it for dessert”, I said, as I left to go back to work.
I came home Tuesday evening and the cheesecake was still there! I had entertained a secret thought all afternoon, if the dessert was there that night, I would have the second piece.
In my defense, cheesecake is not my husband’s favourite dish; nor is it usually mine. Also, he does not love chocolate like I do, he only likes it. I have a much more intimate relationship with chocolate, especially the dark kind.
We had dinner, my husband went out for the evening, and I ate the cheesecake. This time I savoured it slowly. It was exquisite, really!
Wednesday arrived. I was at my office, when my husband came up to the front desk where I was working on the computer. He had just had a dental appointment with my dentist boss. “There has been someone in the house”, he announced to all. “What do you mean?” I questioned. “Who was in the house?”, I asked anxiously. “Well!”, he said, “someone came in the house and ate my cheesecake. I know that my wife would never do that, so it had to be an intruder!”.
The whole staff had a good laugh at this. “But, you don’t even like cheesecake, or chocolate that much”, I countered. “You should have eaten it for lunch, as I had suggested.” Of course this did not convince him, and he continued to tease me unmercifully.
Dani, if you read this, add your recipe to the comment area. I know everyone will want it now!
Everyone, please post your chocolate comments!
Here is a poem that I wrote in honor of the special relationship I have with dark chocolate.

Have a delicious day!

Joan