Description
Rich coffee cheesecake in a chocolate cookie crust packed with cinnamon and a little cayenne for a spicy kick! Inspired by the Mexican mocha latte.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 25 oreos, filling removed
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
For the filling:
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened (room temperature)
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 ounce bittersweet chocolate bar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup strongly brewed coffee
- 3 eggs, room temperature
Topping:
- whipped cream
- chocolate covered espresso beans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the crust:
- Pulse the oreo cookies into crumbs using a food processor.
- Add the melted butter (cooled slightly) and confectioners’ sugar and pulse until combined.
- Add the crust mixture to a lightly greased 10 inch springform pan. Spread it evenly and pack tightly along the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides using the round bottom of a drinking glass or the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Bake the crust by itself for 7 minutes.
- Remove and let cool while you are preparing the filling.
Melt the chocolate:
- Break each individual chocolate square in half and add to double boiler. You can set a metal or glass bowl inside a sauce pot filled with a little water. Heat the pot of water over low heat and stir chocolate with a whisk to avoid burning.
Prepare the cheesecake filling:
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, melted chocolate, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Increase speed slowly to high and mix on high speed for one minute.
- Add espresso powder, cinnamon, cayenne and salt and mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Slowly add the coffee a small amount at a time to avoid splattering.
- When the coffee is evenly mixed into the batter, add the eggs one at a time until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into the prebaked crust and spread the top layer evenly with a spatula. The filling should not come more than 3/4 the way up the sides of the pan.
- Wrap the springform pan underneath and on all sides with aluminum foil.
Prepare the water bath:
- Place the cheesecake inside the roasting pan.
- Add a teapot full of boiling water to the roasting pan. The water should be 1 to 1/2 inches deep.
Bake your cheesecake!
- Place pan in 350 degree oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until top of cheesecake is just set.
Finishing steps:
- Allow the cheesecake to cool on the counter for 2 hours.
- Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to 24.
- Top individual slices with a bit of whipped cream and a chocolate covered espresso bean if desired.
