#93) Gingerbread Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache (for Gingerbread Day)

June 5th, 2016 - National Gingerbread Day

What better reason to dig out your ginger and molasses in June?

Did you know that yesterday was National Gingerbread Day in the US?  I had no idea until I stumbled upon Foodista's latest post.  But once I had this tid bit of info I was so happy!!!  Why?  Because it gave me an excellent reason to share one of our favourite recipes with you.  How else would I have found a legitimate reason to share a gingerbread cheesecake while the temperature is above freezing and Santa is nowhere in sight? ;)

This sweet and spicy cheesecake is full of deliciousness - gingersnap crust, spicy cheesecake filling, and sweet chocolate ganache.  It has been a hit every time I have made it and now that I've found some gluten-free gingersnaps at our local grocery store, hubby can once again enjoy one of his favourite desserts.  Give this recipe a try and let me know if it is a crowd pleaser for you :)

Crust

Ingredients 

1 1/4 cups crushed ginger snaps (*can be gluten-free)
1/4 cup melted butter

Steps

- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9" springform pan.

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients 

3 packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
3 eggs

Steps

- Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. 
- Add molasses, vanilla and spices; mix well. 
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
- Bake 45 to 50 min. or until centre is almost set. 
- Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely before removing rim. 

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

4 oz. Baker's semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream

Steps

-Microwave chocolate and whipping cream for 30 seconds; stir. 

- Repeat until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 30 sec. 

-Pour over cheesecake.

Printable Recipe :)

#63) Caramel Cocoa Cakes

OMG! These things are amazing! Not to toot my own horn, but wow! I came home to visit the fam yesterday so of course my brother was immediately asking for Peanut Butter Balls, but you know me, I always want to try something new :) So he said if I could get caramel inside a chocolate cupcake he would love me... He obviously doesn't realize just how easy this is! :) And what goes best with chocolate cupcakes then chocolate ganache???

Cocoa Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with papers.
-Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
-Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
-Divide into muffin tins (about 18).
-Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time.

Caramel

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Steps

-Bring sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Whisk until crystals are dissolved.
-Boil syrup until an amber colour begins to take form.
-Add butter. Whisk.
-Remove from heat and count to five. Add milk slowly, whisking.
-Let cool for at least one hour.

Ganache

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate
3/4 cup heaving whipping cream
2 tbsp butter

Steps

-Put chocolate in steel bowl.
-Heat cream and butter over medium heat.
-Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
-Stir until smooth.

Assembly

-Using a serrated knife at an angel, cut a cone out of the top of each cooled cupcake.
-Fill the hole with cool caramel and ganache.
-Replace cone.
-Top with ganache.

#62) Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Hey everyone!!! I made it home to my parents' for a quick weekend visit, so of course, the first thing I done was whip up a chocolate and peanut butter treat for my brother. I was having a super bad craving for peanut butter cookies so I figured the best way to make brother happy was to squeeze some chocolate in the middle - GOOD IDEA :) The cookies are surprisingly chewy and the ganache, my first attempt, is addictive. I had some extra ganache left over so my dad is using it as a dip for the sandwiches because he said we didn't put enough in the middle LOL. Let me know what you think!

I head back to my summer living accommodations later today so I probably won't be back for a while, but keep me in mind later the summer :)

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of cloves
1 stick butter, room temp
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp molasses
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar, for rolling

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-Sift together flour, baking soda, and cloves.
-Cream butter. Beat in penaut butter. Add sugar and molasses. Beat for 1 minute.
-Add eggs and beat until incorporated.
-Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. The dough with be somewhat "mushy" but you can still mold it in your hands.
-Roll 1/2 tbsp measures of the dough into balls, roll in sugar and place on baking sheet.
-Criss-cross with a fork.
-Bake for 8-9 minutes. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1 cup + 2 tbsp chocolate, chopped (I used milk chocolate, but I think dark would have been a better match)

Steps

-Put chocolate in a steel bowl.
-Bring cream and butter to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
-Stir until smooth.
-Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Sandwich Assembly

-Put ganache in a piping bag and pipe a swirl in the back of a cookie (they should be matched by size) and press the second cookie in top.
-Refrigerate until firm.