Cafe Chocolate Cream

This is a dessert that, in the French language, is called "Pot de crème". 

According to Wikipedia it means "pots of custard" or is referred to the little pots in which the desserts were usually served. No matter what you call this dessert, it is the most decadent,  chocolatey, rich, creamy dessert, ever! The custard's texture is like silk; however, it is slightly less firm than that a traditional pudding or custard. Nevertheless,  it is very delicious. 

I made this dessert in less than five minutes and it was ready to serve in 2 hours. The list of ingredients is few: whole eggs, chocolate chips morsels, boiling coffee. As an extra added option, you might add in a splash of your favorite flavored liqueur.

This dessert is so rich that tiny bit goes a long way! This simple recipe will make eight small servings. Traditionally, this recipe was served in small ceramic or clay pots, but because it is so rich, I suggest small ramekins, or even large shot glasses. It is nearly impossible to eat a large serving of this rich dessert; that is why I serve it in smaller containers.

Here is my version of Pot de crème. NOTE: if your coffee is not heated to nearly boiling, your custard will be runny. It is extremely important to heat your coffee to the boiling point for a successful custard.

It is very important follow the recipe as closely as possible or the custard will NOT set up!  Also, this is a loose custard and not as firm as a cooked custard.

Ingredients for Custard:

• 10 ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate morsels (don't use white or milk chocolate morsels as they will not set up well) MUST BE ROOM TEMPERATURE!
• 4 large whole eggs (discard the shells) MUST BE ROOM TEMPERATURE!
• 6 ounces of nearly boiling brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 a shot glass coffee liqueur (or brandy, or amaretto, or Irish cream...) (DO NOT use more liquid or it will ruin the custard) 

Ingredients for Topping:

• 1/2 cup very cold heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for Custard: Note: (I used small ramekins in the photo above, but most of the time I use large shot glasses or very small brandy snifters to serve this dessert. I can usually get six to eight serving from this single recipe.)

1. In a large blender or food processor, combine all the eggs and the entire contents of the package of semi-sweet morsels into the blender/processor (not a hand or stand mixer)
2. Cover with the blender lid and pulse several time to incorporate the eggs and morsels... only enough to slightly break up the morsels...do not overblend.
3. Heat the brewed coffee to nearly boiling.
4. Remove the center cap on the lid. Turn on the blender to chop/blend and slowly drizzle in the very hot coffee.
5. Add in the vanilla extract and flavored liqueur.
6. Stop blending and pour equal amounts into your serving cups.
7. Refrigerate for, at least, 2 hours until set and thickened.

Directions for Whipped topping: Just before serving.

1. Whip the 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream only AFTER the chocolate cream has set up. 
2. Use a clean mixing bowl or clean processor. 
3. Add the 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream. 
4. Process on a high speed until thick but not too stiff. 
5. Spoon onto the top of the chocolate dessert just before serving. 

Almost No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

If you are impatient, like me, you don't want to have to wait 24 hours for a cheesecake to cool down to eat it! I am not very patient person when it comes to eating pie! When I've made a cheesecake it is a MUST to wait for it to cook, cool down, and then refrigerated overnight before you can even cut into it and eat it! AHHHH!
I came up with a speedier method for a cheesecake that can be made in about 4 hours instead of 24 hours! YIPPEE!!!

Yes....it still requires a bit of patience, but it is well worth the few hours, really.

This is not a traditional cheesecake, as it is completely egg free, therefore it is not a custard based pie. No worries because you won't sacrifice the rich creamy, smooth texture associated with cheesecake. This recipe promises the most decadent parts of a cheesecake: the sweetness from the sugar and the velvety texture from the cream cheese and sour cream.
The secret to getting this cheesecake to set up into a firm, sliceable wedge of pie is the added fresh lemon juice. When lemon juice and dairy come together, a magical chemistry thing happens...it gets firm and thickens up. Chemistry is a good thing here!

As the recipe says, "Almost No-Bake" as I bake the graham cracker crust for seven minutes so it will set up firm. That is all the baking required here.

I know you will like this lemon cheesecake AND it will satisfy your instant gratification sweet tooth.
Enjoy!

Equipment & Supplies:
10-inch springform pan
Heavy duty mixer and large mixing bowl
Small grater/rasp
Juice strainer
Lemon squeezer
Scraping spatula
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Large measuring cup
Rolling pin
Gallon size zipper style bag (I use the freezer style as they are thicker and resist punctures)
Oven & timer
Hotpads

Crust Ingredients:

• 2 bricks of graham crackers (from a box. About 18 full graham cracker rectangles)
• 1/2 stick of melted butter
• 3 tablespoons honey

Directions for Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
2. Using the zipper bag & rolling pin, place the graham crackers into the bag, zip up the bag and crush the crackers with the rolling pin until it looks like sand.
3. Open the bag and add in the melted butter and honey.
4. Massage the bag to incorporate the butter and honey until it looks like wet sand and lumps up slightly.
5. Pour this into the bottom of a springform pan and press it down with your hand until it is firmly packed.
6. Place the crust into the oven for 7 minutes. Remove and let it cool.

Lemon Cheesecake Filling Ingredients:

• 4, 8 ounce packages of cream cheese - unwrap them and let them set out on the counter for, at least, 30 minutes before using.
• 2 cups regular sour cream
• 8 whole large lemons
• 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk (do not used evaporated milk)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (do not use regular sugar as it will be grainy in texture)
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Directions for Lemon Cheesecake Filling:

1. Wash and rinse all the lemons. 
2. Next, only two lemons and using the rasp you will rub it back and forth to remove some of the outer skin of the lemon. Do not rub too hard as to get the white pith part of the lemon, this pith is really bitter. Try to only get the oily dark part of the yellow skin. Set aside.
3. Slice all eight lemons in half and then squeeze the juice from ALL 8 lemons, using the lemon squeezer or a wooden spoon, into a measuring bowl. Strain out the seeds and most of the pulp using the strainer. Set aside.
4. In the large mixing bowl, add in all the cream cheese and sour cream. Use the paddle attachment or regular beaters and turn the mixer on medium high and beat until creamy and light.
5. Add in the two cans of sweetened condensed milk and powdered sugar. Mix well until creamy.
6. Now pour in the ALL the strained lemon juice (it should be about 3/4 cup of lemon juice).
7. Slowly mix and watch the filling begin to thicken...it will still look loose, but that is normal. As it sits, it WILL thicken, naturally.
8. Add in the lemon zest and stir it in.
9. Pour the filling onto the cooled graham cracker crust. Smooth the top with a spoon.
10. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and put the whole springform pan into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. AS it cools it will get even thicker.
11. When it has completely cooled, take a knife and go around the outer edge of the pie to loosen it from the edge of the springform pan.
12. Remove the outer springform ring.
13. Using a bit of water, wet a sharp knife and gently slice the cheesecake. 
14. Serve with some fresh whipped cream or fruit puree'.

Store all leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered pie holder.

Almost No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

If you are impatient, like me, you don't want to have to wait 24 hours for a cheesecake to cool down before you get to eat it! I am not very patient and when I've make a cheesecake it is a MUST to wait for it to cook, cool down, and then refrigerated overnight before you can even eat it! AHHHH!
I came up with a speedier method for a cheesecake that can be made in about 4 hours instead of 24 hours! YIPPEE!!!
Yes....it still requires a bit of patience but only a little...uh, huh!

This is not a traditional cheesecake as it is completely egg free...therefore it is not a custard pie. However, no worries because you won't sacrifice the rich creamy, smooth texture associated with cheesecake. This recipe promises the most decadent parts of a cheesecake: the cream cheese and sour cream.
The secret to getting this to set up into a firm, sliceable wedge of pie is the fresh lemon juice. When lemon juice and dairy come together a magical chemistry thing happens...it gets firm and thickens up.
Chemistry is a good thing here!

As the recipe says, "Almost No-Bake" as I bake the graham cracker crust for 7 minutes so set it up firm. That is all the baking required here.

I know you will like this and it will satisfy your instant gratification sweet tooth.
Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

First, this is just a luxurious, silky, creamy, decadent dessert. A chocoholic's dream come true!
Secondly, I don't know why this is called a cake? It has no typical cake properties, except the eggs. This is a sweetened cheese custard that is very time consuming to prepare, BUT the reward is nearly heavenly.

Every time I make a cheesecake for my family and friends, they come running for a slice. They know that this is a piece of heaven on earth...and they want their portion. Sadly, to make this decadent dessert will take two days, therefore, patience is a virtue.

Once you take your first bite of the chocolate heaven, you'll be hooked, and stopping is nearly impossible. I call this recipe triple chocolate because there are three different chocolate layers. The bottom layer is a dark chocolate cookie crust. The second layer is the silky chocolate cheesecake and the topper is fudgy chocolate ganache.

I know this will become an all time favorite dessert for you!

Supplies Needed:
Large, 10 inch springform baking pan
Heavy duty stand mixer with large mixing bowl and paddle attachment
Mini food processor or a zipper style plastic bag and rolling pin (something to crush the cookies)
Scraping spatula
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups - for dry ingredients
Medium glass microwaveable bowl
A casserole dish for holding 4 cups of water - this is for adding moisture to the oven while the cheesecake bakes.
Cooling wire rack
Timer
Hot pads to protect your hands from the hot pans.
Plastic wrap
Wooden spoon or additional spatula (for stirring chocolate chips)


Ingredients for Bottom Crust Layer:

• 1 package of Keebler Fudge Stripe Chocolate cookies (DO NOT use any chocolate cookies that have chocolate chips or a cream filling)
• 3 Tablespoons of melted butter (salted butter is what I use)

Ingredients for the Cheesecake filling

• 4, 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature (I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
• 2 cups sour cream - room temperature (I used light sour cream...I don't recommend using fat free)
• 4 large whole eggs (discard the shells) You'd be surprised how many people ask about the shells...really! 
• 1 cup white granulated sugar (normal table sugar)
• 1, 12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Ingredients for Top Ganache Layer

• 1, 12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (do not substitute with any other milk!)

Directions for Crust - bottom layer

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
2. Crush all the cookies to a coarse sandy texture.
3. Open the lid and add in the room temperature butter and process about 15 seconds to fully incorporate the butter.
4. Put the springform pan together and close the latch. Pour and press the cookie/butter crumble to the bottom of the pan.
5. Place the pan in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove and let it cool while the filling is being made.

  Directions for Cheesecake Filling

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
2. Place the 4 cups of water into the casserole dish and place on the lowermost rack in the oven. This will stay in the oven during the entire baking process to add moisture to the cheesecake.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese, on medium low speed, until creamy smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.
4. Add in the two cups of sour cream and mix well until smooth and creamy. Again, scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with the rubber spatula.
5. Add in the one cup of sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract. Mix until creamy again. Scrape the bowl.
6. Add in the contents of the four eggs, one at a time. Mix in between each addition. At first the batter will look plastic, but then will become yellowish in color and creamy.
7. Now, in a separate microwavable bowl, pour in the contents of one package of chocolate chips (reserve the second package of chocolate chips for the top ganache layer). Heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir the chips until they are all melted. Re-microwave for an additional 20 seconds if necessary, but do not overheat or it will ruin the chocolate and become grainy.
8. Turn on the mixer to a low speed. Slowly pour the MELTED chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl well and mix additionally.
9. Pour the chocolate cheesecake batter over the cookie crust in the springform pan. Gently smooth the top.
10. Bake for about 50 - 55 minutes or until firm  (NOTE: the center of the cheesecake will look a little wet and wobbly). 
11. Remove the cheesecake from oven and carefully place on the cooling wire rack.
    NOTE: DO NOT remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Allow the cheesecake to stay in the springform pan for 12 hours before removing.
12. Insert a knife or spatula at the inside edge of pan an gently go around the outer edge to loosen the cheesecake (This will prevent the surface from cracking as it cools). 
13. Let the cheesecake cool, on the wire rack until it comes to room temperature, about 2 hours.
14. Cover with some plastic wrap and refrigerate for an additional hour before adding the top layer with the ganache.
15. After an hour in the refrigerator, remove and cover with the final layer of chocolate ganache.

Directions for Top Ganache Layer

1. Clean, rinse, and dry the microwavable bowl that was used to melt the chocolate chips for the cheesecake. BE SURE TO DRY COMPLETELY!
2. Add in the 2/3 cup of whipping cream and butter. Place in the microwave, High power, for 90 seconds (1.5 minutes)
3. CAREFULLY remove the bowl from the microwave and pour in the last, entire package of chocolate chips. DO NOT STIR...just let this sit for about a minute.
4. Gently stir the chocolate chips until all the chips have completely melted.
5. Remove the cooling cheesecake from the oven and remove the plastic covering. 
6. CAREFULLY pour the melted chocolate ganache over the top of the cheesecake. Smooth the top. 
7. Cover, without touching the chocolate topping and place back into the refrigerator for 8 - 12 hours.

HOW TO SLICE & SERVE:

• When completely cooled, wet with water a very thin, sharp knife and then slice the cheesecake. This is very rich cheesecake so a small slice is super. 
• Be sure to clean and re-wet the knife before cutting each slice! 
• Garnish the plate with chocolate syrup or fruit puree'.