Chocolate Cheesecake (Baked)

A new year, a new beginning and a new hope.  This is what I am going to do.  I needed more self-love starting from this year as advised by my counselor, Yvette.

As much as I wanted to do the first post on New Year day, somehow I got caught up with things that needed my attention first.

Many have written to me asking for my new blog but I am very lousy with design work as well as crazily puzzled over those html coding.  Seriously lost touch now since I hardly revamp my old one for the past 7 years. 

Though I still bake weekly and cook daily but I wasn't ready to post on the blog till now (pardon the ugly layout but I will get there with time)

This blog will be my journal on all the tried and tested recipes.  Recipes that interest me and I have tried it.  I will post the source of my attempts but will not post all the recipes that I tried online but if you are keen, drop me a note on the comment box.

Now back to what I have been up to.  Thanks to hubby who not only provided financially, he also planned, coordinated and acted as our driver for our one month long vacation in Nov/Dec.  Though our rented car was broken into but it was not dampened as we got to see the most amazing coastal line after the ordeal.  Another added bonus to this trip, was to be able to visit my brother and his family.  I really missed them so much and it was good to see my kids bonded with their little cousins.

I came home feeling recharged and positive.  Then I suffered another mishap on my back trying to prepare a simple Christmas Eve dinner.

Things haven't been looking good then as some days, I have difficulty getting out of the bed without stabilising myself for a few minutes.  Scary isn't it?  

Now, I am diligently exercising as instructed by my chiropractor and hoping to strengthen my muscle before my next visit.

I am trying to be positive as I have so many things that I wanted to accomplish in 2013.  I needed to be able to run like a bunny FAST!

Now with a waist brace pretty permanently scrapped round my back, I tried to function as normal as possible.  

I have been craving for a cheesecake since we came back.  Yes, I got addicted to Cheesecake Factory while we were holidaying.  My family just loves the food, cakes, and services here.  

Thus to solve my craving, I baked a Chocolate Cheesecake!  Yah, I hardly baked cheesecake for many reasons.  One is a leakage problem, hated to stain my oven.  Second, it takes ages!  But with strong craving, everything is possible.

I doubled lined my spring form pan with aluminum foil over the water bath pan (darn the bigger pan also leaked).  Luckily, I have another shallow tray at the lowest rack on my oven to catch the water dripping.

Tip: Don't over beat as the cheesecake will be cracked during baking.  

Our views: 

This definitely fixed the chocolate craving.  This time I used a house brand cream cheese by PH and it didn’t taste that bad.  Perhaps the premium chocolate masked the cheese?  

Like all baked cheesecake, it is compact and rich but it is not close to Cheesecake Factory's as my girl commented but still she polishes hers off without a problem.

So that ends my craving and now I am a happy girl.


Source: The Hummingbird Bakery (page 74)

What you need:

900g cream cheese

190g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Base

200g digestive biscuits

2 tbsp cocoa powder

150g unsalted butter, melted

Method:

Put digestive biscuits in a plastic bag and break them up with a rolling pin.

Add in the melted butter and blend well.

Pour into a 9" springform baking pan.  Chill in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract on slow until it is smooth and velvety.  

Add in one egg at a time, mixing it well.   Turn the beater into high and beat till it is lighter and fluffier.  Careful not to over mix otherwise it might crack during baking.

On low speed, add half of the melted chocolate a little at a time (to prevent seizing), mixing it well.  Add the remaining chocolate in and mix well.

Foil-wrapped the baking pan.  

Pour in the cheese mixture.  

Bake in a bain-marie method @ 180 deg for 40 - 50 mins.    Don't overbake, it should be wobbly in the centre.

Remove and cool in the tin.  Cover and chill in the fridge overnight before serving.

Cheers