Mocha Cheesecake
As I grow older, I’m finding that I become pickier and pickier with my desserts. It’s such an odd feeling. It used to be that when I was young, I’d eat almost any kind of dessert but avoid eating foods like eggplant and hot sauce at all costs. Now, I find the reverse to be true. I adore eggplant and hot sauce, but have come to feel ambivalent about certain desserts. Cheesecake, for example, is usually not a dessert I find myself feeling compelled to eat or make. But I think I need to elaborate on this, because some of you might be thinking whaaa? What I mean is that, by normal standards, I enjoy cheesecake. By foodie standards, I will not weep if it’s not on the dessert menu. I’m much more apt to order an affogato than a slice of cheesecake. And that’s because I’m pretty much a sucker for any kind of coffee dessert. I recently made a gluten-free mocha icebox cake for a gathering, and it inspired me to get a little creative with mocha flavoring. I thought, if I love coffee-flavored desserts so much, there’s got to be a way to extend that love to cheesecake. And so this mocha cheesecake was born, and what a glorious birth it was.
While this mocha cheesecake could certainly work with a classic graham cracker crust, I think the Oreo crust is a better move. The Oreo cookie is obviously a chocolate cookie, which not only compliments the chocolate element of the cake, but it also lends that slightly bitter quality that coffee exudes as well. Since cheesecake is usually decadent enough on its own, I decided to kind of turn this dessert into a deconstructed mocha cheesecake in the sense that I separated the coffee and chocolate flavors. I mixed dissolved instant espresso powder into the cheesecake batter, and then brushed a thin layer of dark chocolate ganache onto the surface before sprinkling Oreo crumbs all over the top. I think it keeps the flavors distinct and recognizable, but they still blend well with each bite.
Another goal I had with this mocha cheesecake was to really add a touch of something elegant and “grown-up” to Oreo cheesecake. This may just be me, but I tend to think of Oreo cheesecake as a childhood favorite. Usually you don’t see Oreo cheesecake as a dessert option at finer dining establishments or fancy dinner parties. If there’s cheesecake, it’s typically New York cheesecake with a raspberry or strawberry coulis. I wanted to find a way to incorporate my favorite childhood cookie, Oreos, into a dessert that was fit for a nice dinner party, and I think coffee flavorings are the best way to do that. Coffee, or mocha, is often a flavor that you don’t give to children, usually because they don’t even like it themselves. But us adults? Most of us love it, and if you’re one of those people, you will definitely love this mocha cheesecake!
Mocha Cheesecake
Ingredients
for the crust
- 1 1/2 c Oreo crumbs
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
for the filling
- 2 oz pkgs of cream cheese, 16 total, room temperature
- 1 1/4 c brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules dissolves in 2 tbsp warm milk
- 1/2 c sour cream
- 2 eggs
for the topping
- 2 oz dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- c Oreo crumbs for topping, about 1/4
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 10-inch springform pan. Create your crust by stirring the Oreo crumbs with the granulated sugar. Add the melted butter and combine until all the crumbs are moist from the butter. Pour this mixture into the bottom of your springform pan. Evenly spread out with a spatula, then use a flatbottom glass to make it completely even and smooth throughout.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool until it’s just slightly warm. Meanwhile, create your filling by beating the cream cheese with the brown sugar on medium speed. Once combined and smooth (about 1 minute), use a rubber spatula to scrape the cheese off the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla extract and dissolved coffee; mix again on medium speed just until they’re incorporated.
- Stop and again scrape the sides of the bowl, then add in the sour cream. Again, mix just until incorporated. Add in the eggs, one at at time, while the mixer is on medium low speed. Stop the mixer as soon as the eggs are blended in. Give everything one final, big stir with your spatula before pouring the filling in the crust.
- Place the pan onto a larger baking sheet, and put the entire thing in the oven to bake for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, or until only the center is slightly jiggly when you move the pan back and forth. Afterwards, slide a sharp knife around around the edges of the cheesecake; let the cheesecake rest in the pan on the counter until it’s come to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap ad place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or until it’s completely chilled.
- Before serving, create the ganache by heating the heavy cream in a small saucepan. Once the cream starts simmering along the edges of the pan, remove from heat and add the chocolate. Stir the chocolate until it’s completely melted. Use an offset spatula to apply a thin coating of chocolate onto the top of the cheesecake. Drop the Oreo crumbs all over the top so as to cover the entire surface of the cheesecake.
I wish I had that problem of being picky with my desserts! I have such a sweet tooth I love almost everything (except pies I guess, I’m not a big pie person. Shocker, I know!) But I do love cheesecake and mocha! That’s so funny that you say most kids don’t like the taste of coffee, I used to beg my Mom for coffee ice cream! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Lisa
http://www.strumsimmersip.com
That’s because you were a sophisticated young child with excellent taste! 😉 I think the first time I tasted coffee anything was when I was in sixth grade…my sister brought home an unfinished mocha frappuccino and offered the rest to me. It was love at first sip. Since then, I’m always the girl ordering coffee-flavored ice cream! And I’m actually so picky with pies, so I feel you girl! Thank you!! XO
I feel the same about pickiness in desserts! It’s like that with chocolate especially. I guess if I’m gonna eat calories it better be worth it!
http://www.obsessivecooking.com
I totally agree, Natalie. If we’re going to indulge in some dessert, it better be worth it! Thanks for stopping by XO
This cheesecake looks and sounds amazing, Beeta! I love coffee-flavored desserts and the oreo cookie crust is the perfect pairing. As much as I adore eggplant and hotsauce I think this would take center stage at any dinner party!
LOL, funny you should say that as everyone wanted to skip dinner and head straight to dessert when I presented this! :p Thanks, Kelly XO
My jaw just dropped! I am a relentless cheesecake lover and this one sounds unbelievable, what a great idea to make it mocha! And that topping… I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from "tasting" little bits of it until there was none left for the cheesecake! I love the way you incorporated the Oreos here, too, I definitely think it was the right choice for the crust. Brilliant!
Thanks, Sam!! You are the queen of decadent dessert fusions, so what a compliment that you approve of this one! Thanks so much <3
Whoaaa! Mocha Cheesecake with an Oreo crust! I mean it looks good, but it sounds dreamy.
I know what you mean about what it feels like to have a change of taste. I think as foodies our palates grow as we cook and experience food in different ways.
And the photos.. So inspiring and delicious!
Cheers..
Thanks so much, Aysegul! It’s definitely a decadent and dreamy dessert. And you’re right; I guess we experience so many new flavors that we just adopt new preferences too. Thanks for your sweet words <3
Umm… this is like SUPER YUMM!!! Why has this not been in my life before this? I really need a big, fat slice of this mocha goodness right now. 😀
Thank you, Kennedy! It definitely is a slice of mocha goodness 😉
OMG Beeta, you have totally won over my husband with this one! I gave him the description of cheesecake, espresso, Oreo and ganache; he nearly fell out of his chair before declaring I HAD to make this! I swear he almost unpacked our boxes just so I could make him this cheesecake! I had to lovingly stop him from doing that- and promise him I would make this as soon as we move and we are unpacked! Seriously, this sounds incredible!!! I am with you though, on the whole not really craving decadent desserts as I get older. But every once in a while, something like this Cheesecake is TOTALLY called for. And NEEDS to happen!!! ♡ can’t wait to make this, I know my husband thanks you for sharing!! Xoxo and cheers, my sweets!!
Aww, that’s so kind of you to say, Cheyanne! I’m sure your hubby is not suffering though with all the out of this world food you make – he is one lucky guy!! Good luck on the move; I’m so so excited for you!! <3
Oooh Beeta – you know how much I love mocha flavours! I’m totally with you on the dessert thing, when I was younger I’d easily devour anything sugary, but now I’m definitely becoming fussier. I am totally loving this cheesecake, and I could easily devour the whole thing!! It looks divine, and that ores crust sounds sooo good!
Thanks so much, Harriet! Isn’t it crazy how our palates change? I remember eating anything and everything sugary as a kid! :p