Cafe' Au Lait Cheesecake

By JJCR

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups finely crushed chocolate wafers (30 cookies)
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. instant espresso coffee powder or regular coffee crystals
• 2 tbsp. water
• 3 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 slightly beaten eggs

Preparation

Step 1

For the crust, in a mixing bowl combine crushed wafers and melted butter. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of an ungreased 8-inch springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Chill till needed.
In a small saucepan combine the chocolate, water, and instant espresso. Cook and stir over low heat till chocolate starts to melt. Remove from heat. Stir till smooth. Stir in water; cool.

In a large mixer bowl beat cream cheese , sugar, flour and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed till smooth. Add eggs all at once, beating on low speed just till mixed. Do not overbeat.

Reserve 2 cups of the cream cheese mixture; cover and chill. Stir cooled chocolate-coffee mixture into the remaining cream cheese mixture, stirring just till combined. Pour chocolate mixture into crust.

Bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes or till sides are set (center will be soft set). Remove reserved mixture from refrigerator 10 minutes before needed. Gently pull out oven rack just enough to reach the inside of the pan. Carefully pour reserved mixture ( where chocolate mixture is set) Gently spread evenly over entire surface.

Bake cheesecake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen sides of the cheesecake from the pan. Cool for 30 minutes. Remove sides of pan.

Cool completely.
Chill cheesecake for 4 to 24 hours before serving. Store any remaining cheesecake, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serves 12.
To Freeze: Place cooled cheesecake, uncovered, in the freezer for 1 hour or till firm. Remove bottom of pan. Transfer cheesecake to a large freezer bag or container Seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, transfer cheesecake to a platter and loosely cover. Thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

441 calories
35 carb.

12 servings

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