My go to New York cheesecake with a chocolate coconut twist.
Crunchy pecans baked in the crust and caramel layer. Is there something better than a chocolate ganache filling?
Chocolate, Caramel and Nuts are a great combination
Let me introduce you the six amazing layers of this cheesecake. The first one is the most important one for a lot of people: the graham cracker crust. I am talking crunchy, buttery and lightly sweet. The cookie crust is topped with a layer of caramel. A silky chocolate ganache layer thrones on top of the caramel. A thick cheesecake layer is the star of this cake. Decorated is it with a layer of caramel and chocolate.
Read here my tips for a crackfree cheesecake every time!
Almond Joy Cheesecake
Ingredients for a 8 or 9 inch cake
For graham crust:
24 pieces (270 g) oreo cookies, as crumbs
6 tbsp (90 g) butter, melted
For the cheesecake batter:
32 oz (900 g) cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (80 g) sour cream
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (175 g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
For the chocolate ganache:
8 oz (230 g) semi sweet chocolate
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (90 g) sweetened coconut
1 cup (90 g) shredded coconut
1/2 cup (70 g) slivered almonds
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 °F. To make the OREO cookie crust use a food processor and pulse cookies until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Fill in prepared 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Press into bottom and 1/4 inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack and change the oven temperature to 325 °F. Heat up some water for the water bath.
Step 2:
While the crust is baking make the cheesecake batter. Use a large mixing bowl and add cream cheese and flour. Mix it on the lowest setting of an electric mixer until it is smooth. This should take about 4 minutes. Add white sugar and sour cream and mix it in. Then add vanilla and almond extract and keep mixing it. Add the eggs and mix until smooth.
Step 3:
Slowly pour the cheesecake batter on the cooled OREO cookie crust and spread it with a spatula to cover the whole surface. Wrap the cake in aluminum foil to prevent water from entering. Place the cake in the oven in a water bath. Then bake at 300 °F for about 70 minutes. After baking turn off the oven without opening it and let the cheesecake cool in oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Then take it out of the oven and cut around the edges of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan. Let the cake cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes but better for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Step 4:
Decorate the cooled cake with chocolate ganache. For the chocolate ganache bring the heavy cream to a simmer and pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Let it sit for 3 minutes, then whisk it until it comes together. It should have a smooth consistency but not be too runny. Let the ganache cool to almost room temperature while the cake is cooling in the fridge. Then decorate with some coconut flakes and slivered almonds.
Enjoy cold!
**Pro Tips**
To soften cream cheese very nicely fill hot water in a big heat safe bowl place the cream cheese packages into the bowl and let them soften for about 10 minutes. It will cream very nicely without mixing in too much air.
If the cheesecake has a layer of condense water on its top after cooling use a paper towel and dry it before adding the caramel layer.
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