Mmmmm ~ Cheesecake!

I love to bake cheesecakes.  If you would ask me how to bake a good cheesecake, I would tell you three things:  1) Make sure your cream cheese is a room temperature.  2) Don't beat in your eggs, just mix in one at a time on low until blended into the batter.  If you over beat the eggs, too much air will incorporate into the batter and your cheesecake will puff up when baking and then fall while cooling.  This will cause a big ridge around your cheesecake.  3) Don't over bake. Remove your cheesecake when the center 3" is still jiggly.  If you over bake your cheesecake, it will crack.      


The thing about cheesecake is, you can turn almost anything into a cheesecake flavor.  I've done Snickers, Robin Egg (malted milk balls), black berries,  German Chocolate, Twix, Oreo - and the list goes on.  

I don't always remember to take pictures of my cheesecakes, but I have a few.  Today I'm going to share my German Chocolate cheesecake recipe with you.  I can't even remember the occasion I baked it for.  It may have been something to do with my husband, because he loves German Chocolate Cake.  I remember searching the net for recipes and taking a little of this one and a little of that one until I thought I had one that I would like.  Here is what I came up with.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

For the crust:

• 2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup cocoa
• ¼ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted 

In a nine-inch spring form pan, mix the cracker crumbs and the melted butter.  Press the crumb mixture into a crust across the bottom and about one inch up the sides.  Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 425°.

For the filling:

• 4 bars (4oz.) Hershey’s semisweet baking chocolate, broken into pieces
• 3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 eggs

In a microwave bowl, melt chocolate until smooth.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla; beat with a mixer until smooth.  Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time, blending well after each addition.  Add eggs and melted chocolate; blend well.  Pour into crust.  Bake 10 minutes without opening oven door.  Reduce oven to 225° (250° if using a light colored springform pan) and continue baking 35 minutes or until center is set.  Remove from oven.  With knife loosen sides and cool completely.  Remove from pan.  Spread topping on top and refrigerate until firm.  Store uneaten portion covered, in refrigerator.

For the topping:

• 2 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

In small microwave-safe bowl, beat egg yolks. Stir in sugar, butter and whipping cream. Microwave on HIGH power 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla extract. Stir in coconut and pecans until well blended. Refrigerate until mixture is of spreading consistency. Spread on top of the cheesecake.  

I then melted some chocolate chips with a little butter and drizzled over the topping.  Here's the finish product! 

Try it!  You will be glad you did!