Coffee and chocolate cheesecake

Coffee and chocolate cheesecake that you'll love.

Ingredients:

• For the crust:

• 200 grams of chocolate cookies 🍪
• 100 grams of unsalted butter, melted 🧈

• For the cheesecake filling:

• 500 grams of cream cheese (like Philadelphia), at room temperature 🧀
• 200 grams of granulated sugar 🍚
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature 🥚
• 2 tablespoons of instant coffee (dissolved in 2 tablespoons of hot water) ☕
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 🍃
• 200 grams of dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa), chopped or in small pieces 🍫

• For the chocolate ganache (optional):

• 100 grams of dark chocolate 🍫
• 80 grams of heavy cream 🥛

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). If you're using a 20-24 cm springform pan, wrap it in aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in during the water bath. ♨️

For the crust: 🍪 Crush the chocolate cookies into fine crumbs. You can use a food processor or put them in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

Mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter until well combined. 🧈

Press this mixture into the bottom of the pan, making sure it's compact. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the filling. 🧊

For the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until smooth and creamy. 🧀

Add the sugar and continue beating until well combined. 🍚

Stir in the dissolved instant coffee and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. ☕

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, but only until combined to avoid incorporating too much air. 🥚

Melt the chopped dark chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth. 🍫 Let it cool slightly before adding it.

Add the melted and slightly cooled chocolate to the cream cheese and coffee mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. ✨

Pour the filling over the cookie crust in the springform pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. 🌬️

Place the springform pan inside a larger pan and fill it with hot water halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan (this is a water bath). 🛀

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the edges are firm but the center still jiggles slightly when gently tapped. ⏰

Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and allow the cheesecake to cool inside the oven for 1 hour. This helps prevent cracking. 🌬️

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature. Then, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, to achieve the perfect consistency. 🧊

For the chocolate ganache (optional):

Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl. 🍫

Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Do not let it boil vigorously. 🔥 Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes without stirring. ⏳ After that time, gently stir with a spatula or spoon until you have a smooth and glossy mixture. ✨ Once the cheesecake is cool and firm, spread the ganache over the top. 🎨 Refrigerate again for at least 30 minutes to allow the ganache to set.

And that's it! Now you can enjoy your delicious coffee and chocolate cheesecake.