Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
original recipe: http://www.mangiodasola.com/2010/02/chocolate-mousse-cheesecake.html
NOTE: to make things easier, make the cheesecake and crust on one day
and the mousse and ganache on the next day. Cheesecake lasts longer than
mousse. Keep this cake refrigerated and will last up to 2-3 days but is
best eaten the day it's made.
Layer 1: Oreo Cookie Crust
- 30-32 Oreo cookies (or chocolate sandwich cookies) for a high crust
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
- 1-2 tsp espresso powder (optional)
Crush cookies in a food processor or in a ziploc bag with a rolling pin
or mallet. In a bowl or food processor, pour melted butter on top of the
crushed cookies and add the espresso powder (optional), and mix or
pulse well. Place the oreo mixture at the bottom of a springform pan.
Smooth out the mixture with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass. Wrap
the bottom of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil. Place the
crust in the freezer while you make the cheesecake.
Layer 2: Tall & Creamy Cheesecake
For the cheesecake:
- 1 pound (two 8-ounce boxes) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (I always use kosher salt)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup heavy cream (or sour cream or combination)
Put a kettle or pot of water on to boil. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Working in a stand mixer (or large bowl with hand mixer), preferably
fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium speed
until it is soft for about 4 minutes. With the mixer running, add the
sugar and salt, and continue to beat another 4 minutes or so, until the
cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one by
one, beating for a full minute after each addition to yield a
well-aerated batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and stir in the
heavy cream or sour cream.
Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure
that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape
the batter into the springform pan. The batter should fill only half of
the pan. Put the roasting pan in the oven and pour the the boiling
water into the roaster to come halfway up the sides of the springform
pan. (I pour half of the boiling water before putting in the pan to
reduce my chances of dripping water in the cheesecake.)
Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 15-30 minutes, at which point the top
will be lightly browned and may have risen just a little above the rim
of the pan. Turn off the oven's heat, and prop the oven door open with a
wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to luxuriate in its water bath for
another hour.
After 1 hour, carefully pull the roast pan/springform pan setup out of
the oven, lift the springform pan out of the roaster—be careful, there
WILL be some hot water in the aluminum foil—remove the foil. Let the
cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.
When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and chill the cake for at
least 4 hours or overnight. Make the mousse once the cheesecake has
cooled.
Layer 3: Mousse au chocolat/French Chocolate Mousse
- 6 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut; use good chocolate)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp espresso powder (added to intensify chocolate flavor, optional)
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold (do not use half-frozen cream; the whipped cream will curdle)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, and place over a
saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler).
Melt the chocolate and butter together and stir with a whisk until
smooth. Add in the espresso powder. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Add the egg yolks to the chocolate, 1 by 1, beating with a whisk until
incorporated. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of
tartar, and continue to beat. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup sugar, and
continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Beat heavy cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters until it begins
to foam and thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and
vanilla. Continue to whip the cream until it holds soft peaks.
Gradually and gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to
lighten it. Then, delicately fold in the whipped cream. Take care not
over work the mousse but make sure you blend in the cream well. Place
the mousse on top of the cooled cheesecake while still in the springform
pan.
Cover the mousse cheesecake with foil, being careful to not let it touch
the mousse. (If your springform is too small for this, just use less
mousse in the cheesecake and instead eat them in ramekins while you
prepare the ganache!) If making the ganache immediately, place
mousse-covered cheesecake in the freezer as you make the ganache (the
cheesecake should NOT be in the freezer for more than 30 minutes). If
making the ganache later, place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for a
few hours. Either way, the ganache must be cool before you can pour it
on top of the cheesecake.
Top layer: Espresso Ganache
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut semi-sweet and milk chocolate)
- 1 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp dark rum (I used vanilla extract instead)
Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Heat it up just
BEFORE it boils. Place the chocolate in the cream, and remove from heat.
Stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in the espresso powder and rum or
vanilla extract. Allow the ganache to cool for about 15 minutes before
pouring the mixture on top of the mousse cheesecake.
Release the springform pan. With an offset spatula, smooth the ganache
while starting at the center of the cake and working outward. (I did a
"crumb" crust by placing a thin layer of the warm, not hot, ganache on
top, allowed it to cool in the freezer for 30 minutes, then I poured
more on the cheesecake after releasing the springfrom pan so that it
could pour down the cake.) Don't do exactly what I did, though. Just
pour ganache on top once it has cooled. Keep in mind that the cold
temperature of the cake will cause the ganache to firm up quickly, and
you may have to pour more on top.
Save the rest of the ganache for decorations (if you whip the ganache
when it's cold, you can pipe a beautiful decoration) or save it for
something else.
