bittersweet chocolate orange cheesecake
something sweet and rich, for a sweet and rich 2005!
i’ve loved the combination of chocolate and orange for as long as i can remember. i think it was a Filipino chocolate bar from long ago that first transported me and my taste buds. this elegant recipe is from one published in the Boston Globe Food Section approximately 14 years ago…
first make the crust:
1/4 cup slightly toasted chopped almonds
2 tbsps. granulated sugar
3 tbsps. grated orange zest
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled
encase the outside of a 9-in springform pan in 2 layers of heavy-duty foil (to prevent water seepage as the cheesecake bakes in a “hot water bath”).
mix all the above ingredients well and press into the bottom and 1/4 inch up the sides of springform pan. i used my brand new tartlet press from a cherished friend in Great Britain ;)
-it made the crust beautifully even and ready to accept the creamy filling. refrigerate crust while you make the filling.
preheat oven to 375F.
combine, in order, blending well(i used my stick blender, but a food processor or mixer works just as well):
2 8-oz. packages of room temperature cream cheese,
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed
2 eggs
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
pour filling into prepared pan and place into a larger pan/ovenproof dish with enough water to come halfway up the sides of springform pan. bake for about 25-30 minutes, and remove from hot water bath to a rack to cool.
prepare topping:
strain 3 tbsps. of orange marmalade through a sieve into a small sauce pan.
add 1 tbsp. of orange juice and heat gently just enough to melt the marmalade.
remove from heat and add 1 cup of sour cream.
pour over the top of cheesecake. refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving, or over night for the flavors to develop.
using the tip of a sharp thin knife, release cake from the pan by sliding knife all around the edge in a smooth sweep–and unlock the pan(to prevent cracking).
garnish with curls or grated shavings from a chocolate bar…
January 1st, 2005 at 12:15 pm
The first time I tried making a chocolate cheesecake recipe (Baker’s Choco, it cracked and I did not like the taste at all. Nanghihinayang man ako, I immediately dumped it into the trash can. I have not tried again yet…still trying to gain some more insights/tips as to how to bake a cheesecake. One thing I think I did wrong was the lack of water bath. Another is the lack of foil aroung the springform pan. I saw the same tips in Cook’s Illustrated after my disastrous attempt.
Though husby is not a big cheesecake person, he’s very much into chocolate. My in-laws all go ga-ga over cheesecake, that’s why I also want to learn how to make it. I hope to try this in the next bday celebration in our family…
January 1st, 2005 at 12:23 pm
hi manang, happy new year! this is one of my quickly disappearing sweet treats…my little one doesn’t like the sour cream topping daw, maybe just some whipped cream for him next time. i like how it complements the choc. though…
January 1st, 2005 at 12:44 pm
Yumm! This is my favorite cheescake combination, choc & orange. I’ll have to try your version ;)
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
January 2nd, 2005 at 2:49 pm
hi Stel, this is a nice combination. Hehehe, laging extra yung tartlet press ah! :)
Manang, I’ve done chocolate cheesecakes and 2 out of 4 attempts were failures. Mainly because I wasn’t careful enough when I put 2 layers of foil at the bottom of the pan. I dragged it around the table and I didn’t know that because of that it developed a hole where the water seeped thru and ruined the cheesecake. Duh!
January 4th, 2005 at 4:00 am
Tita Stel..sana pag nagka chance kami finally to visit US ( ang kulit na ng auntie ko eh, nagagalit na at kelan daw kami pupunta dyan ) …daan ako sa bahay mo ha..pwede tikman ito?
Gusto ko gawin ito!! Salivating na naman ako…slurppppp