Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Ganache

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Ladies Who Lunch

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (75)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(75)

Cook Time:
--
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
12 to 15 servings

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Ingredients

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the filling:

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee
1 3/4 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the ganache:

1/4 pound semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust:

Place the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until combined. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, chop the bittersweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the espresso and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.

To make the filling:

Cream the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and almond extracts and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, and the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door opened wide for 1 1/2 hours. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature, until completely cooled.

For the ganache:

Finely chop the semisweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the cream and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving. Drizzle the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Ganache
Susan Longmont, CO 11-05-2009
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High Altitude
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

How can I adjust for being a mile high? My cake looked like the Grand Canyon.
recipe Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Ganache
Cullen Woodbridge, CA 10-28-2009
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Very tasty
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This cheesecake is great but DO NOT add 5 Tbsps of butter to the crust or you will end up with butter brunt on to the bottom... of your oven! I never add that much butter to the crust but for some reason forgot to reduce the amount. I usually make my crusts with about 3Tbsps of butter and that is the perfect amount. It's just enough to dampen and get the crumbs to stick together.Read more
recipe Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Ganache
Liz Boerne, TX 10-25-2009
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A Real Showstopper!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Made this the day before a dinner party, followed exact directions, and it turned out PERFECT....Could have been a picture... for a cookbook! I let the ganache cool and harden before covering with plastic wrap and storing in the fridge overnight. Brought it out about an hour before the dinner party to come to room temperature and it was fabulous! Definitely worth the effort if you're looking to impress! Read more
recipe Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Ganache
rachel st. louis, MO 10-24-2009
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perfect cheesecake
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made cheesecakes before with little success. I bake and cook often and this was by far the easiest and best tasting... recipe for cheesecake I have found. With the water baths in other recipes, water always seemed to seep into the pan and ruin the crust no matter what I did...did not happen with this because Ina doesn't use a water bath. I did change a couple things because my husband does not like coffee. I oonly used one teaspoon of instant coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor as opposed to all of the espresso the recipe calls for. I also left out the almond extract. It was delicious. I also used an oven thermometer to measure exactly 350 and I must say I still got a crack in the cheesecake as the door was open and the oven cooled. No worries...I just covered with the ganache. The only hard thing about this is the time commitment it takes. But Ina is the best and once again has created perfection!!! She never disappoints!!!Read more
recipe Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Ganache
Vivian Grand Junction, CO 10-15-2009
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Turn it into a Marble
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

To modify the intense chocolate flavor for those in your family who might think it is too much, I used only half the... chocolate mixture and then instead of mixing it into the cheese mixture, I drizzled it on top and then marbled it in. This made a very happy compromise for all of us. DELICIOUS.Read more
recipe Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake with Ganache
Charlene Bonita Springs, FL 10-10-2009
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Yes, you can taste the coffee
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This is a very rich and decadent desert. If I made again I would use either have of the espresso or leave it out altogether.... It is a persona preference. My cheesecake cracked too. I did not use a water bath. Read more