Week 19, December 27, 2010: Chocolate Cheesecake

If there is one recipe that you look up on joyofbaking.com out of all of the recipes I've used it should be this one, http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateCheesecake.html, for chocolate cheesecake.

It wasn't hard to make and it was the biggest hit this holiday season.  I was commissioned by my aunt to make a cheesecake birthday cake for my cousin, who is a cheesecake aficionado.  I was a little nervous at the outset, especially since I didn't leave myself enough time or extra ingredients for a redo if this one didn't look right.  It required like a pound of chocolate overall, three eggs, three packages of cream cheese and sour cream for the filling... and the topping was chocolate ganache.  The only thing I'm realizing more and more with these cheesecakes is the necessity of parchment on the bottom of the pan.

I had company both the day I made it and the following day when I did the ganache, so I didn't get to do many pictures of the making process.  It was quite simple.  The cake was delicious, very rich, but not overly so.  I don't know if I'd do the ganache again, I might add a raspberry sauce or mousse on the side to complement the chocolate.

For Christmas day, I made another cheesecake that I've been dying to try: Cranberry Cheesecake.  The recipe again from joyofbaking.com

The house smelled amazing for this one.  You start off by making cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries, water, sugar and lemon zest.

Then, allow it to cool, making the cheesecake filling.

Mine doesn't look nearly as good as their online version does: to get the swirl look, it goes layer of cheesecake, layer of filling- pull through to swirl with knife, then another layer of cheesecake and another of cranberry, knife through again.

It got good reviews, but I was concerned- it didn't seem to bake well- with cheesecakes you pull them out when the outside is set, but inside is still a little wet and wobbly.  With this one, the very outside was set, but it looked too wet.  I wound up cooking it for an extra 20-30 minutes at 250.  I'm wondering about the change in temps that some cheesecakes require, i.e., instead of 30-40 minutes at 350, they do 15 minutes at 350 and then 60-70 at 250... It doesn't seem to help with the cracking... I'll fight this one another day.

Baking was busy, but the biggest job of the holiday was assisting in the art of naming the new stuffed animals.  I named Kevin in October... and she received at least four more animals this week.  Joining Kevin on mom's stairs are (GL)Olivia the glow-worm and Felipe, the elephant.  Missing are Manny, the first christmas pink dog and Francesa: Emmy's new textured doll.

In addition to naming the new animal, I had some shopping to do for Em, her parents and even Kevin.

I think he liked his present.

Ker got a few doozies- his wife was thoughtful enough to get him a professional grade tool belt to finish the work she needs done around the house.  Of course he filled it with the real necessities.  Need a bottle, he's got one.  Just wish we had seen if Em would've fit in one of the tool belt pouches.

I never thought I'd be a baby person, but I bawled for twenty minutes after they packed this one into her car seat and headed out.

The best gift we got this Christmas, hanging out with Kevin under the tree.

Next week: Gingerbread Cake and Angel Food Cake

Best wishes for a Happy New Year!