365 Project - Day 163

Cappuccino Cheesecake

As you know, yesterday we celebrated my birthday (for the 44th time!). I did not take any pictures yesterday other than this quick snap of the cappuccino cheesecake as my guests were walking in the door (before it got devoured!). I actually really enjoyed just celebrating my birthday with no camera in my hands! Since I've had a couple of requests for the recipe, I decided I would just post it for today's post. It is a recipe that I got from the canadian Reader's Digest years ago and I can't even tell you which year since I just have a page torn out and laid in between the pages of another cookbook. I can tell you though, that it is extremely YUMMY!! I won't list the brand names that were listed in the original recipe. Living in Germany, I can't buy those brand names anyways and have had to make a few minor adjustments because some ingredients just can't be found here.

Cappucino Cheesecake

crust:

325 mL (1-1/3 cups) chocolate wafer or graham crumbs (I made crumbs out of some come crispy caramel cookies)

50 mL (1/4 cup) sugar (I used no sugar since the cookies I used to make the crumbs were quite sweet)

75 mL (1/3 cup) butter or margarine, melted

Combine crust ingredients. Press onto bottom and halfway up sides of 22.5 cm (9 inch) springform pan. Set aside.

 filling:

3 pkgs (250 g each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese (you can get that in Germany!)

125 mL (1/2 cup) sugar

125 mL (1/2 cup) brown sugar (since you can't get "real" brown sugar in Germany, I use normal sugar and add a tbsp of molasses (Zuckerrübensirup) to it)

30 mL (2 tbsp) all-purpose flour

10 mL (2 tsp) coffee liqueur or vanilla (I used Latte Machiatto Coffee&Cream 17% liqueur and about double the amount as the recipe called for)

3 eggs, at room temperature

50 mL (1/4 cup) milk

15 mL (1 tbsp) instant coffee granules

garnish:

whipped cream, cinnamon, or chocolate coffee beans.

(I sprinkled with a chocolate/cinnamon/sugar mix I had and then put chocolate covered coffee beans on it)

Using electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugars, flour and ligueur until smooth. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until blended. Combine milk and instant coffee stirring until dissolved, stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared crust and bake at 230°C (450°F) 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 120°C (250°F) and continue baking 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven and run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake and prevent cracking. Cool thoroughly at room temperature. Chill 8 hours or overnight. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon or chocolate coffee beans.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.