Cappaccino Fudge Cheesecake

This Australia day I decided to make something different to take to friends for dessert. My regular recipes include baked cheesecake and banoffee pie but this time I wanted to make something truly indulgent. If there is one blogger I aspire to, its Deb from Smitten Kitchen and
I decided to make something I have had bookmarked for a few months from her website:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/11/cappuccino-fudge-cheesecake/

I had to make a number of adjustments to Deb's already adjusted recipe. I decided to make a simple cookie crust and in the end I left off the ganache decorating because I was transporting the cheesecake still in its tin before plating up and just couldn't face the extra work! I also would have preferred to make this cake ahead of time and let the flavours mature but I ran out of time on the weekend so made the cake in the morning. In my rush I didn't ensure the base and ganache layer was sitting level in the freezer so the one side of my cheesecake had a thicker layer of ganache than the other. (You know which side I cut myself a slice from!)

Overall I would say this is a winner however it was just too hot for us at lunch and so no one felt really starving for a piece and instead we all had small helpings which is probably better for THEM in the long run, but not for me because I now have two quarters of cheesecake in my freezer and a container of ganache which I just can't resist eating. Sigh.

Below is my adjusted recipe. Please refer to Deb's if you want something a little more technical!

Baked Cappaccino Fudge Cheesecake.

Crust
250g chocolate biscuits
7 tablespoons hot melted unsalted butter

Ganache
1 1/2 cups thickened cream
500g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Kahlúa

Filling
3 1/2 x 250g packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons instant coffee

1 tablespoon ground espresso coffee

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Topping
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

For crust:
Finely grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process until crumbs begin to stick together, scraping down bowl occasionally, about 1 minute. Transfer crumbs to 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Wrap plastic wrap around fingers and press crumb mixture firmly up sides to within 1/2 inch of top edge, then over bottom of pan.

For ganache:
Bring whipping cream to simmer in large saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and Kahlúa. Whisk until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Pour 2 cups ganache over bottom of crust. Freeze until ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes. Reserve remaining ganache; cover and let stand at room temperature to use later for creating lattice pattern.

For filling
Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 180degreesC. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in flour. Stir rum, instant coffee, ground coffee and vanilla in small bowl until instant coffee dissolves; beat into cream cheese mixture. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.
Pour filling over cold ganache in crust. Place cheesecake on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until top is brown, puffed and cracked at edges and middle 2 inches move slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Cool for 15 minutes while preparing topping (top of cheesecake will fall slightly). Maintain oven temperature.

For topping:
Whisk sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Pour topping over hot cheesecake, spreading to cover filling completely. Bake until topping is set, about 10 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Refrigerate hot cheesecake on rack until cool, about 3 hours.

You can decorate the cooled cheesecake with the remaining ganache. Or just leave it and eat the ganache with a spoon, like I did!