To the growing cadre of books about chocolate, add Tish Boyle and Tim Moriarty's Chocolate Passion. For it, the authors, both editors at Chocolatier and Pastry Arts and Design magazines, have collected more than 50 recipes celebrating chocolate--the world's favorite flavor, as they dub it. These include formulas for cakes, cookies, mousses, tarts, and candies.
Cheesecake is one of America's unacknowledged most-favorite desserts, and this one is an elegant variation of the standard form. A chocolate graham cracker crust supports a white chocolate cheesecake filling swirled with tart, colorful raspberry sauce.
Yield: 10 servings
Preparation: 1 hour, plus baking and cooling times
Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust:
11 whole chocolate graham crackers (1/3 of a 1-pound box), broken into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling:
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
Five 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Raspberry Coulis:
2 pints raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon eau de framboise or kirsch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish:
White chocolate curls
1/2 pint raspberries
MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the graham crackers in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process until they form fine crumbs. Transfer to a 10-inch springform pan. Add the melted butter and the sugar. Toss together well, then press into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set on a wire rack and cool completely.
MAKE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE FILLING
In a small saucepan, melt the white chocolate with the cream over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool.
In the 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time; continue mixing for 3 minutes. Pour in the cooled white chocolate mixture. Mix at a low speed until incorporated. Pour the filling into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and then turn off the oven without opening the door. Allow the cake to cool in the oven for 2 hours. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 3 days.
MAKE THE RASPBERRY COULIS
Place the raspberries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the sugar, eau de framboise or kirsch, and lemon juice on top; let rest for 15 minutes. Mash the berry mixture with a fork, then push through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the seeds.
Before serving, uncover the cake. Garnish the top of the cake with white chocolate curls. Arrange the berries all over the curls. (May be refrigerated for up to 3 hours uncovered before serving.) Cut the cake into slices and serve with the raspberry coulis swirled on each serving plate.
