Hardcore Foodity

My apartment is freezing so I’ve been baking a lot lately to warm the place up, as well as keep my culinary hands nimble.

I always double the recipe for my graham cracker crust. I find it provides a more solid base that stands up better when slicing and serving. I don’t pre-bake it as some recipes call for, as the baking of the cheesecake is enough, in my opinion, to suffice.

Crust:

• 3 cups crushed graham crackers

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2/3 plus 2tbsp of butter

Combine the sugar and crushed graham crackers. Melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir it around if any lumps remain, the heat from the rest of the butter should melt it fully. Pour the butter over the sugar/crackers and mix thoroughly until butter is fully incorporated. Pour into and press to the bottom of your 9” springform pan. Set aside.

Cheescake:

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 eggs

Whip the cream cheese with the mixer and add the sugar while doing so. Add vanilla, then add each egg slowly until ingredients are well blended, scraping the sides of the bowl. Pour mixture over graham cracker crust and gently spread around, working from the center to the edge of the pan.

I put my springform pan on an edged cookie sheet in the center of the oven, then pour water in the cookie sheet (NOT the springform) to create a water bath. This provides enough moisture so the cheesecake doesn’t crack. (However, if it does, you’re smothering it with chocolate anyway, so no harm/no foul). But this does give you a moister cheesecake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until set. Gently remove springform from oven (leave the cookie sheet for later) and allow to cool on stovetop. I take a skillet and gently tip the cookie sheet so that the excess water pours into the skillet and dispose of that in the sink (keeps you from trying to maneuver a cookie sheet full of water and getting it all over your floor).

Ganache:

• 9 ounces of chocolate (I used 85% dark)

• 1 cup of heavy cream

• 1 Tbsp of dark rum (optional)

• 2 Tbsp butter

Chop the chocolate into small pieces to ensure ease of melting and set aside in a stainless steel or glass bowl. In saucepan, heat cream, rum and butter, stirring until the butter has melted. Heat cream until almost bowling, remove from heat, pour over the chocolate and stir until you get a thick sauce. Pour over cheesecake, then let cool in the fridge overnight.

Hardcore Foodity (dot com) is no longer.  I’ve cancelled the website and am solely posting here. I’m sorry to have lost all my old posts, my friends’ submissions (Miss Ida Feltersnacks and Meredith Munchies) as well as all the lovely pictures taken from before.

However, like the phoenix and my homemade bread dough, we shall rise again! There will be soup.

I move into my apartment next week and will be preparing for The Island of Misfit Turkeys Thanksgiving Potluck. All those folks flying solo for the holidays are now welcome to congregate at my new apartment and stuff themselves silly. :) 

Stay tuned, lovelies.