Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Baileys and Orange-flavored Cheesecake

Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Baileys and Orange-flavored Cheesecake
rec.food.cooking/Kate (1998)

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter cut up
5 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet (with sides) with parchment paper (I think it was a 9 x 12 pan).

In a double boiler melt the chocolates and butter till the temperature reaches 100F. Stir to blend and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks and sugar until foamy, about 2 minutes. Stir the warm chocolate into the bowl then stir in the flour. Pour into the prepared pan, spread evenly with a spatula.

Bake for 5 to10 minutes (depends on size of the pan) or until just firm, do *not* over bake. The pan we used was large enough so that the finished cake was about 1 inch thick (I think it was a 9 x 12 pan).

Using about 2 1/2 inch cookie cutters cut about 16 circles into the cake (this depends on the size of the pan and the cookie cutters as we made some smaller miniature cakes) Set aside.

Make cheesecake

2 1/2 lbs cream cheese softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
grated zest of one lemon and a small orange
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (we used vanilla flavored sugar so we omitted)
2 tbsp Baileys or other liqueur
3 tbsp all purpose flour
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a large baking sheet (with sides) with parchment paper (I think it was a 9 x 12 pan).

In a large electric mixer mixing bowl beat the cream cheese with the sugar, zests, vanilla and Baileys until creamy. Add the flour; beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix until very smooth. Pour the mixture into a parchment-lined pan the same size as the pan used to bake the chocolate cake. Pour batter and spread evenly.

Bake for about 10 minutes (we put a pan of simmering water in the oven with the cheese cake). Reduce temperature to 200F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Let cool to room temperature then chill for a few hours until needed.

Cut similar sized rounds out of the cheesecake with cookie cutters (the cheesecake filling should be about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick.

Place a round of bittersweet chocolate cake on a dessert plate and top with a round of cheesecake. Drizzle with melted chocolate and some raspberry puree.

We served with white chocolate ginger ice cream and peach ice cream on the side.

Very elegant and quite easy.