COOKING LESSON #3--instant pot chocolate cheesecake

Okay my friends...How are you doing, today? It is our 21st day in isolation and I think I may be getting used to it. At first, I was thrilled with the lack of Los Angeles traffic, but now I can’t believe how thrilled I am without those pesky phone calls and emails. Of course, it would be nice to get a paycheck now and then, but at least I’m eating well.

I’m still on my Instant Pot recipe development project. It may be hard to believe, but you can actually bake in an Instant Pot. You can purchase some inexpensive interesting add-ons for your Instant Pot. For about $29 I found a 14-piece Instant Pot accessories set—steamer basket, 7-inch springform pan, egg bites mold, egg steamer rack, kitchen tongs, silicone oven mitts and more. Once I had my new springform pan I was off to the races—the cheesecake races.

The Ancient Romans served cheesecakes during religious ceremonies. It makes perfect sense: who hasn’t had a religious experience eating a great piece of cheesecake?  Whether you are a fan of Junior’s in Brooklyn or you head to The Cheesecake Factory at every opportunity, cheesecake aficionados have a hard time resisting this dessert.

When you blend chocolate with cream cheese and heavy cream, something magical happens. Cheesecakes are easy to dress up. You can add chocolate chips, pieces of leftover cake, or ripples of fruit-flavored ganache to the batter. I am sure you won’t be surprised to learn that cheesecake has outdistanced apple pie as America’s number-one dessert. I know
 
New York–Style Cheesecakes require patience. They are not difficult to make—really!—but it’s hard to wait to eat them while they cool. And cool they must, because cheesecakes are best eaten after being allowed to chill overnight and then brought back to room temperature.
 
In some cases, simplicity can be used to imply beauty, purity or clarity. And, that is the essence of this cheesecake recipe. All things being equal, the simplest cheesecake is most likely to be the best. So, pull out your food processor and begin.

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Prep time:  25 minutes
Cooking time:  50 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients
 
For the crust
Cooking spray or butter
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
20 chocolate cookies (Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers)
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 
For the cream cheese filling
1-pound cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons sour cream (from 1 pint of sour cream)
1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup water
 
For the sour cream topping
1 pint sour cream (less 3 tablespoons used in the filling)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
 
Directions

1. Let the cream cheese and egg (for filling) sit at room temperature until the cream cheese is softened before making the crust.

To make the crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ⁰F. Coat a 7-inch round baking pan with a removable bottom (springform pan) with cooking spray or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter it.
2. Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in the microwave. Place 20 chocolate cookies and 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process into fine crumbs. Add the butter and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; process until combined, scraping down the sides if needed.
3. Transfer the crumbs to the prepared springform pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan and about a third of the way up the sides. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool the crust for 10 minutes, then place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
   

Note:  Do not wash out the bowl of the food processor as you will be using it to mix the filling. 
To make the filling

1. Place 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst, until melted and smooth. Set aside.
   
2. Place the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of sour cream in the bowl of the food processor fitted the steel blade attachment (alternatively, use an electric hand mixer). Process until smooth.
3. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; process briefly to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
4. Add 3 tablespoons Dutch cocoa powder; process until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and the vanilla extract and process until smooth.
5. Add the egg, and process just until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the melted chocolate and process until combined.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan. Tap the pan against the counter to pop any air bubbles.
7. Pour 1 cup of water into an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Place a trivet (fitted for an Instant Pot) in the pot. Place the springform pan on the trivet.
8. Lock the lid on and make sure the valve is set to seal. Set to cook under HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes. It will take about 5 minutes to come up to full pressure.
9. When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure. Open the pot and remove the baking pan. The center of the cake should be jiggly and the sides more or less set. Run a paring knife around the warm cake to release it from the sides of the pan.
10. Reduce the oven temperature to 300⁰F.
11.  Let the cake cool for 10 minutes gently blotting up any condensation that has collected on top of the cake with a paper towel. You will be covering the cheesecake with a sour cream topping, so don’t be concerned if it’s less than perfect.

To make the sour cream topping

1. Place the remaining sour cream (unused portion from the filling), 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in a medium size bowl and whisk thoroughly. Top the slightly cooled cheesecake with the sour cream. Place in a 300⁰F for 10 minutes.
2. Cool the cake to room temperature.
3. Refrigerate the cheesecake at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
4. Remove the ring from around the cheesecake. Using a large flat spatula, transfer the cheesecake to a serving or cake plate. Keep refrigerated until serving.

ChefSecrets:

• Whether you're making an Italian-style cheesecake with ricotta cheese or a classic New York cheesecake with cream cheese, don't skimp on the fat content. Reduced fat and nonfat cream cheeses contain fillers that might prevent the cheesecake from setting properly. Never substitute whipped cream cheese for the solid block.
  
• The cream cheese should be at room temperature before you begin mixing or you'll end up with lumps. Using cold cream cheese can also lead to overbeating, whipping too much air into the batter which will form unattractive air bubbles on the cake's surface.
  
• In place of chocolate cookies, use 20 honey graham crackers with the sugar and butter as above.
  

Storage:  Lightly wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 5 days.