In celebration of Deborah's first week
at her new job, I decided to make a chocolate cheesecake. It's as
good an excuse as I know of for chocolate cheesecake. On second
thought, does a foodie really need an excuse to for chocolate
cheesecake? On third thought, is there ever an excuse to NOT make a
chocolate cheesecake?
Actually, this particular confection is a “Triple Chocolate Cheesecake.” It has an Oreo cookie crumb crust, Ghiradelli dark chocolate in the filling, and a chocolate ganache topping. An all day commitment. What with the prep, the hour bake, the hour rest in the oven, the 6 hours cooling before making and applying the ganache; one has to be committed. It may be one deserves to be committed for deciding to cook this.
Actually, this particular confection is a “Triple Chocolate Cheesecake.” It has an Oreo cookie crumb crust, Ghiradelli dark chocolate in the filling, and a chocolate ganache topping. An all day commitment. What with the prep, the hour bake, the hour rest in the oven, the 6 hours cooling before making and applying the ganache; one has to be committed. It may be one deserves to be committed for deciding to cook this.
The prep, as always, reminded me of the
time we made a $250 cheesecake.
This was back in 1983. Deborah and I had been married about a year, and were not yet with children, both doing well professionally, and living the yuppie life. (Well, kind of a hippie/yuppie life. Which pissed off both real hippies and real yuppies. It was fun.)
The food channel had just gone on the air, and one of their recipes was published in “Gourmet” or some such mag, so we set out to spend a Saturday whipping it up. First a trip to the Supermarket for ingredients. MUCH cream cheese, eggs, Mexican vanilla, heavy cream, butter, and Graham crackers for crust. We were, and are, believers in “great ingredients for great food.” So, we spared no expense.
Back home with the haul, we let the cheese come to room temp, and glanced back over the recipe. OOPS! We needed a springform pan. Off to Buffalo Hardware (Houston's answer to Williams-Sanoma), cash down for a pan, and home. Knowing the cheese would be soft by now.
The cheese was ready. We tossed ingredients into the mixing bowl and set the blades awhirl. Briefly. Then, the nasty aroma of burning wiring and seizing electric motor coming from our mixer. The little darling was not up to the task of all that heavy cream cheese. And promptly expired.
Off again across town to Buffalo Hardware. Now, having learned our lesson on mixers, we decided that for two yup-chefs like us, noting but a powerful Kitchen Aid would do. Out comes the Amex. Zip goes the card printer. Home goes a CHUNK of a mixer.
We unboxed it, washed it, gave the instructions a glance; then set back to work on the designated dessert. Dusk was gathering by the time it entered the oven. Our foodie hearts were filling as our foodie wallets were emptying. The cheesecake was good. Late that night. Calculations a couple of days later indicated that it was priced at about a dollar a fork full. In 1983 dollars. Mitt Romney probably couldn't afford to serve it today.
This was back in 1983. Deborah and I had been married about a year, and were not yet with children, both doing well professionally, and living the yuppie life. (Well, kind of a hippie/yuppie life. Which pissed off both real hippies and real yuppies. It was fun.)
The food channel had just gone on the air, and one of their recipes was published in “Gourmet” or some such mag, so we set out to spend a Saturday whipping it up. First a trip to the Supermarket for ingredients. MUCH cream cheese, eggs, Mexican vanilla, heavy cream, butter, and Graham crackers for crust. We were, and are, believers in “great ingredients for great food.” So, we spared no expense.
Back home with the haul, we let the cheese come to room temp, and glanced back over the recipe. OOPS! We needed a springform pan. Off to Buffalo Hardware (Houston's answer to Williams-Sanoma), cash down for a pan, and home. Knowing the cheese would be soft by now.
The cheese was ready. We tossed ingredients into the mixing bowl and set the blades awhirl. Briefly. Then, the nasty aroma of burning wiring and seizing electric motor coming from our mixer. The little darling was not up to the task of all that heavy cream cheese. And promptly expired.
Off again across town to Buffalo Hardware. Now, having learned our lesson on mixers, we decided that for two yup-chefs like us, noting but a powerful Kitchen Aid would do. Out comes the Amex. Zip goes the card printer. Home goes a CHUNK of a mixer.
We unboxed it, washed it, gave the instructions a glance; then set back to work on the designated dessert. Dusk was gathering by the time it entered the oven. Our foodie hearts were filling as our foodie wallets were emptying. The cheesecake was good. Late that night. Calculations a couple of days later indicated that it was priced at about a dollar a fork full. In 1983 dollars. Mitt Romney probably couldn't afford to serve it today.
So, today's chocolate wonder is in the
oven. And, since we still have, and I used, both the springform pan,
and the mixer, this one must be free. Don't you think? Huh?
Really.
And, I am sure that somewhere I read a scientific study that proved that free food contains no fats, no carbs, and no calories. At least I'll bet you can't show me a study that proves exactly otherwise.
And, I am sure that somewhere I read a scientific study that proved that free food contains no fats, no carbs, and no calories. At least I'll bet you can't show me a study that proves exactly otherwise.
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