Come over for coffee…you’ll be glad you did!

CAPPUCCINO CHEESECAKE with DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Rich, creamy, velvety-smooth with that bite from the coffee and wonderfulness of deep, dark chocolate….what a way to go!

Do NOT make cheesecake with fat-free cream cheese – not if you want an exceptional dessert.  It doesn’t give that real-cakey-almost-dry texture that we associate with fabulous cheesecake.

And when it comes to dessert – it’s DESSERT.  It should be awesome – it’s not an every day food, so you don’t indulge all the time…but when you do you want it to be absolutely memorable!

One of my good friends is fond of saying: “A little bit of fabulous is a lot more fun than a bowlful of ordinary!”

I especially love the Murray’s sugar free double fudge cookies for this. They are slightly chewy but in the food processor they crumble great. I didn’t have any at the moment I made this one, but it really is better with a chocolate crust!

One thing that I think is super important in regards to cheesecakes: They are best made at least one day before serving. They actually get better and better the longer they are allowed to chill. I leave mine for two days.

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Crust

1 1/4 cups sf chocolate cookie crumbs  (I prefer chocolate…but any will work)

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling

Four 8-ounce pkgs reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/4 cups Splenda Granular

4 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals (decaf is fine)

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 eggs

Ganache

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee crystals

4 ounces sugar free dark chocolate, cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl combine cookie crumbs, cinnamon, and butter. Mix well. Pat into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while making the filling.

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in Splenda, coffee crystals, vanilla, cream, and cornstarch. Add in eggs, one at a time, just until combined. Pour filling into baked crust. Return to oven and bake for 55-60 minutes or until just set on edges, but the middle is still slightly jiggly. Turn off oven and open the door. Allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven for 1 hour. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and place in fridge to chill (overnight is best).

When cake is very cold run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen sides. Remove pan and place cake on serving plate.

Place chocolate chunks into a small bowl. Simmer heavy cream and 1/2 teaspoon coffee crystals just until scalded, but not boiling. Pour over chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir melted chocolate into cream mixture until very smooth. It should be thin enough that when you lift the spoon it drizzles easily. If it’s too thick add a tablespoon or more of cream until it’s the right consistency. Pour over cooled cake and spread causing some to drip down over the edges. Return to fridge until chocolate is set and then serve. Makes 20 servings.

Per Serving: 206 Cal; 7 g Protein; 15 g Tot Fat; 6 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 1 g Sugar; 168 mg Sodium