Tiramisu Swirl Cheesecake
Here we are again, another attempt for me to put the flavors of tiramisu into a classic dessert, but I think this one will be very good. I am a big fan of a rich, creamy, tangy cheesecake so I think this tiramisu swirl cheesecake will be a big hit.
I think this is the kind of dessert I’d make for a party, for date night, or for anyone I wanted to show that I loved.
Here is the gameplan I came up with, I’m going to do a classic mascarpone cheesecake batter hinted with a coffee-infused cream and a bit of marsala that will be swirled with a decadent chocolate cheesecake batter for a beautiful and delicious marbled effect. The cheesecake will be baked on top of an amaretti cookie crust and topped with whipped cream made with the same coffee cream in the cheesecake and top the whole thing with a dusting of cocoa powder.
My hope is for a rich, creamy dessert with the classic mascarpone-coffee-chocolate tiramisu flavors that will delight both the eyes and the tastebuds.
Tips for making a great cheesecake
You know, I’m not really sure why we call it cheese-cake when, if you break it down, it’s essentially just a custard pie that’s had some of the cream replaced with a creamy cheese, often cream cheese.
What I do know is that with this seemingly simple dessert there are a few pitfalls that can turn this creamy dream into a cracked, watery, curdled mess. Never fear, because there’s only a few things you need to do to ensure the cheesecake of your dreams.
With the crust, make sure you coat the bottom and sides of the pan you’re using evenly as this helps protect any cheesecake batter from leaking and getting into the bottom of your oven.
Don’t bother with low fat cream cheese. Cheesecake is not a diet food, deal with it.
Make sure to mix the batter evenly to ensure that the cheesecake bakes evenly, and since there’s no gluten in the batter you can get away with excessive mixing a little bit.
While baking your cheesecake, don’t open the oven door. This is a general rule for baking, but for cheesecake it’s especially important as you want the heat from the oven to help the cheesecake set up properly.
Be careful to not overbake your cheesecake. Remember, we’re talking about eggs, and the general rule for eggs is that if they’re cooked in the pan, they’re overcooked on the plate.
Say that despite your best efforts, your cheesecake comes out with a bit of a crack on the top. Listen…that’s the sort of mistake whipped cream is meant to cover up.
Follow these tips and tricks, and you’ll find yourself with the cheesecake of your dreams.
Fun fact, while cheesecake is often associated with the US and New York, the original recipe actually came from Greece. In 776 BC, this rich dessert would be served to the athletes of the first Olympic games. The Roman conquest spread the dessert across Europe, and many centuries later, European immigrants brought the dessert to the Americas.
Serves 10-12
Difficulty: Intermediate
Total time: 3 hours, plus infusing and chilling
For the Coffee-cream:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup coffee beans
For the Crust:
1 heaping cup amaretti cookies or graham crackers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
For the Filling:
12 oz cream cheese, at room temp
16 oz (2 containers) mascarpone cheese, at room temp
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons Marsala wine or brandy
2 oz dark chocolate, melted and cooled
For the Topping:
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Marsala or brandy
Cocoa powder, for dusting
For the infusion, combine the coffee beans and heavy cream in a bowl or a glass jar. Stir/shake up the beans to combine, then leave in the fridge to infuse, shaking now and then to ensure all of the beans are coated, for at least an hour, overnight would be better.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Make the crust by blending up the cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and sugar, then stir until moistened.
Dump into a greased 9-inch springform cake pan and use an empty glass to tamp the crumb mixture into an even layer along the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes, or until the top of the crust feels dry. Leave to cool completely.
Beat the soft cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until the mixture is combined and looks creamy, it should somewhat resemble cream cheese frosting.
Strain the infused coffee-cream, then combine 1/2 cup of the cream, reserve the rest, with the vanilla, eggs, yolks, and marsala. Once the cream cheese mixture is combined, slowly add the egg cream mixture, again scraping down the bowl as you go, until the batter is evenly combined. Remove half of the batter and stir in the melted chocolate.
Spoon blobs of both the plain and chocolate cheesecake batters into the crust-lined pan, alternating flavors, then use a metal skewer to swirl around the pan. The mixture doesn’t need to be fully combined, you just want to create a marbling effect.
Carefully place the cheesecake into the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the sides of the cheesecake are set while the inside is still jiggly. Remove the cheesecake from the pan then let it cool on the counter for 1 hour before chilling for at least 6 hours.
To make the topping, whip any remaining coffee-cream, you should have about 1/2 cup, with the powdered sugar and marsala until it forms stiff peaks.
Run a knife along the edge of your baking pan to release the cheesecake and remove the sides of the springform pan. Spread the coffee whipped cream on top of the entire cheesecake into an even layer, then finish with a dusting of cocoa powder before slicing and serving. Or, if you’d like, you can serve the cheesecake with the whipped cream on the side, that’s up to you.
