There are certain expectations in my family when it comes to food.
Over the past few years, some of my family has become some-what “snobbish” about food. We avoid overly processed foods that taste dull and tend to have a wide array of healthy choices at every meal. However, there is one expectation (usually placed on me) about providing desserts and the motto is, “the richer, the better.” I mean, we only get together on holidays and when else can I make rich desserts without feeling too terribly guilty?
There also seems to be an addendum placed on that expectation: Cheesecakes are always welcome. People are always amazed at cheesecake when really, they aren’t that hard to make (and therefore, really not worth the price you would pay at a bakery!)
So, I love to experiment with flavors and while my tiramisu cheesecake is still my favorite, this cheesecake is a really close second. It doesn’t get much better than espresso and chocolate together!
Go ahead! Make a cheesecake! Your family will love you!
- Crust:
- 2 cups chocolate cookies
- ¼ cup natural sugar
- ½ cup butter, melted
- Cheesecake:
- 32 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup natural sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 5 large eggs
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- Ganache:
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Pull cream cheese, eggs, and cream; bring to room temperature. Combine espresso powder and heavy cream together, set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350˚.
- In a food processor, pulse chocolate cookies until crumbly. Add in sugar and butter, continuing to pulse until combined. Press into a 9″ cheesecake pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- In a stand mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour together until well combined; scrapping down the sides as needed. Add one egg at a time and beat well. Finally, add in heavy cream (mixed with espresso powder) and beat until cheesecake is combined (being careful to not over beat.)
- Pour mixture into crust and place in oven. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 250˚. Continue to bake cheesecake for 60-90 more minutes or until cheesecake barely wiggles and is set.
- Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator overnight and let cool.
- The following day, place chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. In a small pot, heat heavy cream almost to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes and then whisk until the ganache is well combined. Place in refrigerator until ganache becomes slightly set.
- Remove cheesecake from pan and place on a serving plate. Pour ganache over cheesecake and let place back in refrigerator until ganache is set and you are ready to serve!

















