Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

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I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend! It was very refreshing to be able to go to church, get together with family, and enjoy the perfect weather, unlike last year’s lock down. With all there was to celebrate this weekend, it only made sense to do so with a Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake! The recipe features a delicate, chocolatey graham cracker crust, a creamy, rich coffee infused filling, a gooey fudge sauce, and freshly whipped cream!

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust

I’ve experimented with plenty of cheesecake crust recipes. Sometimes I use cookies and other times I make a blend of oats and dates if I want a healthier cake. But at the end of the day, it’s hard to top a classic graham cracker crust…especially when the graham crackers are homemade! I used the recipe in the Joy of Cooking cookbook. They are so buttery and flavorful–certainly better than anything out of package! After making the crackers, I put them in a food processor with some semisweet chocolate chips and stirred in some melted butter. Then I pressed the mixture in the bottom of my springform pan to form the base of the Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake.

Cappuccino Filling

The filling consists of white chocolate chips, melted butter, Neufchatel cheese, sugar, coffee reduction, and a bit of Celtic sea salt. There’s a lot going on here, so let’s break it down. First, it’s essential to use high quality white chocolate. That means it must have real cocoa butter and no artificial vanilla flavor! My go-to is Artisan Kettle which is based in Madison, WI and uses fair trade cocoa. They are also nut, dairy, and soy free, therefore being safe for many allergies!

Neufchatel cheese is basically lower fat cream cheese. I like to use it to keep the calories and fat a touch lower since it doesn’t have any negative effect on the flavor or texture. There is plenty of fat and calories elsewhere in this recipe, so we might as well reduce them when possible. However, feel free to use full fat cream cheese instead–it will still work and taste great in this Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake! As always, I like to support local, organic farmers as much as possible, which is why I choose Organic Valley Neufchatel Cheese!

Purity Coffee

Coffee reduction isn’t something you’re likely to find in the store, but it’s super simple to make. All you need is equal parts of sugar and extra strong brewed coffee ( 3/4 cup of coffee grounds per 8 ounces of water). Put them in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for about three minutes before removing from heat. At this point you’ll essentially have a simple syrup made with coffee. It adds a ton of awesome flavor to the Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake!

As always with coffee recipes, I’m recommend Purity Coffee. It is organic and tested for mold and mycotoxins which are found in most conventional brands. It is also packaged in small batches to ensure fresh coffee every time–not stale from sitting on store shelves for months! You can learn more about why this is the only coffee I buy here and they also have tons of awesome, science-packed info on their website. Enjoy 10% off your first order with promo code “ROOTS10”!

Toppings

If you ask me, it’s not really a cheesecake without the toppings. After the Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake cooled, I drizzled it with homemade fudge sauce (also from the Joy of Cooking) and freshly whipped cream. The original fudge recipe called from corn syrup, but that is an ingredient I refuse to use. I opted for raw, local honey instead and it worked great. Maple syrup would also be a suitable, unrefined option.

For the whipped cream, I use Organic Valley whipping cream because they don’t have all the added preservatives that most brands do. (Seriously, check the ingredients the next time you’re at the store–it’s hard to find cream with only one ingredient!) They’re ultra-pasteurized version does have an added gum, but nothing like the ingredients in conventional brands. If you want to go totally clean on the cream, use their regular pasteurized variety.

I hope you enjoy this Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake! Let me know what you think in the comments below or on my contact page!

More Cheesecakes to Try

• Chocolate Drizzled Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
• Coffee Glazed Mocha Cheesecake
• Lemon Curd Cheesecake
• Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
• Gluten-Free Medjool Cheesecake

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Chocolate Cappuccino Cheesecake

This cheesecake is made of a delicate graham cracker crust, a rich coffee filling, gooey fudge, and fluffy whipped cream!

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Cooling and Setting Time4 hours hrs

Total Time5 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

Rachel Alexandra

Equipment

• 8 inch springform pan
• Food processor
• Double boiler
• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• Baking sheet

Ingredients

Crust

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup Irish butter melted

Filling

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp Irish butter melted
• 16 oz Organic Valley Neufchatel cheese room temperature
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ cup coffee reduction syrup*
• 2 tsp coffee exract optional
• ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt

Fudge Sauce

• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅛ tsp Celtic sea salt
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup Organic Valley heavy cream
• ½ cup raw honey
• 2 oz dark chocolate chips divided
• ⅛ tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Irish butter softened
• ½ Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup Organic Valley heavy cream
• ¼-½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp coffee extract

Instructions

Crust

• Line the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with melted butter.
• Place the graham crackers in a food processor and blend until it forms 1½ cups of crumbs.
• Then add the chocolate chips to the food processor and blend them into the graham cracker crumbs.
• In a small bowl, whisk the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.
• Pour the melted butter into the mixture a pulse a few more times until incorporated.
• Empty the contents of the food processor into the springform pan and use your hands to press the crumbs evenly across the bottom. Set aside.

Filling

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Add approximately an inch of water to the bottom of a double boiler and melt one cup of white chocolate chips on medium-low heat. Stir every few minutes. If steam starts escaping, reduce heat to avoid getting moisture in the chocolate.
• When the chocolate is smooth, remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Set aside for about 10 minutes to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the somewhat-cooled chocolate mixture with the room temperature Neufchatel cheese, sugar, coffee reduction*, and sea salt.
• Use the paddle attachment to beat on low speed until smooth and creamy. Do not overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all the ingredients are well combined.
• Transfer the filling to the springform pan and use a small offset spatula to smooth it out evenly on top of the crust.
• Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Do not open the oven at all during this time!
• Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for another 30 minutes. Still do not oven the door!
• Remove cheesecake from oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before refrigerating for at least 3 hours.

Fudge Sauce

• While the cheesecake is cooling, make the fudge. In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar, cocoa, sea salt, and water until combined.
• Place the pan on a burner over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.
• Then add the cream, honey, vinegar, and 1 oz of the chocolate chips. Whisk to combine and bring to a boil.
• When the mixture reaches 225°F and the sauce is beginning to thicken, remove from heat. This should take about 5-8 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Let cool before drizzling over the cheesecake.

Whipped Cream

• Using a hand or stand mixer, start by whipping the cream. As it starts to stiffen, add a ¼ cup of powdered sugar and the coffee extract.
• Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. If needed, add more powdered sugar.

Notes

*To make the coffee reduction syrup, place 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of extra strength Purity Coffee in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and whisk often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 more minutes before transferring the syrup to a glass jar to cool.

To make gluten free, use the Date & Oat Crumble Crust instead of graham crackers.

Pure vanilla extract may be used in place of coffee extract.

Fudge sauce recipe adapted from the Joy of Cooking cookbook.

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