My previous company introduced me to Goody Friday, a special day once a week where one person was designated to bring in a home baked (or store bought) sweet (or savoury) treat for the group of people signed up. When I started at my current company, I had to implement the same program and renamed it 'Treat Tuesday'. I was the first treater and I can't remember what I made but my turn came up again and I wanted to make something fancy as the desserts were getting more elaborate (Thanks, Vincent!). So onto Pinterest I went and found a recipe I had saved for quite some time:
This one courtesy of Bake or Break. Recipe is here.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CRUST: [**I sKIPPED THIS - JUST BUY THE OREA PREMADE CRUMBS IN A BOX]
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
FOR THE FILLING:
- 24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup dulce de leche*
*I am not aware that you can buy dulce de leche sauce so I made it. The instructions were to buy a can of condensed milk, remove label and simmer in a pot of water for 1-3 hours. I lasted 1 hour before I realized that with a 2 hour cooking time for the cake, I'd be up until 1am. I pulled the can out at the 1 hour mark and the color had barely changed BUT the flavour was good.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons dulce de leche
- chocolate shavings, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
TO MAKE THE CRUST:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at half power in microwave in 30-second increments until butter has melted and chocolate melts when stirred. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture, mixing until combined. Add the flour and salt, mixing just until combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Set the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE FILLING:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Add the dulce de leche and mix until combined.
- Pour batter onto the cooled crust in pan. Spread evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 200°F. Continue baking for 2 hours.
- Turn off the oven. Remove the cheesecake from oven and gently run a knife around the edges of the pan. Return the cheesecake to oven. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for
2 hours. By 20 mins, the oven will be cold, might as well put it in the fridge now. - Then, cover loosely and refrigerate overnight.
TO MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM:
- Place the cream in a large, cold mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat at medium-high speed until the cream begins to thicken.
- Sprinkle the sugar over the cream. Whisk until combined. Add the dulce de leche.
- Continue beating until you can lift the whisk out of the whipped cream and a peak that curves downward forms in the cream. This should take 4 to 5 minutes.
- Spread the whipped cream over cheesecake. Garnish with chocolate shavings.
The Verdict?
Like OMG, best cheesecake ever. I got rave reviews and the cake was gone in 20 mins. I will definitely make this again and will try to make the dulce de leche sauce properly.
