Ginger Mascarpone Cheesecake with a Chocolate Crust
- 1/2 lb. cold sweet butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 dash salt
- 2 lb. cream cheese
- 1/2 lb. mascarpone
- 1-1/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 tbsp. ginger, fresh grated
- Chocolate Crust: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 15 seconds.
- Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and continue mixing on low speed until dough comes together.
- This will take about 5 minutes.
- Of course, I did this with my KitchenAid hand mixer.
- Put the dough on a lightly floured board and roll it into a 10-inch circle.
- Line the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
- Freeze the crust for at least 1 hour.
- Bake the crust in a preheated 225F oven for 25 minutes.
- Set aside to cool.
- Cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Put the cream cheese and the mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until smooth.
- Continuing to mix, slowly add the sugar.
- I still don't own a stand mixer so I made this with my hand mixer using its regular beaters.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in the grated ginger.
- Spread the batter over the baked crust.
- Put the cheesecake in the oven.
- Place a pan of hot water on another rack below the cheesecake.
- (The steam from the water prevents a crust from forming on top of the cake.)
- Bake the cheesecake for 35 to 60 minutes, until almost set.
- (The center will not be completely firm.)
- When the cake has finished baking, remove it from the oven, loosen it from the edges of the pan by running a knife around the inside edge.
- Let the cheesecake cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Both steps help prevent the top from cracking.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake until cold.
- Unmold the cake by again running a knife around the outside edge of the pan and then releasing the latch on the springform.
- To serve, cut the cheesecake with a hot dry knife.
- (Dip the knife in hot water and then dry it off.)
cold sweet butter, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, eggs, ginger
Taken from www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/2346 (may not work)