Espresso Cheesecake

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Espresso Cheesecake
Categories: Cheesecakes, Cakes
Yield: 10 servings

Crust
1 1/2 c Hazelnuts; chop/husk/toasted
1/3 c Sugar
3 tb Unsalted butter; melted
1 tb Cocoa powder; unsweetened
1 c Fresh brewed espresso
24 oz Cream cheese; room t
-emperature
1 1/3 c Sugar
1 1/2 tb Cornstarch
1/4 ts Salt
3 lg Eggs; room temperature
3 lg Egg yolks; room temperature
1/3 c Half and half
1/4 c Fresh lemon juice
1 tb Coffee liqueur
1 1/2 ts Lemon peel; grated
1/2 ts Vanilla extract

Recipe by: Bon Appetit August 1989
Chocolate coffee bean candies -- optional

For Crust:
Preheat oven to 3250F. Wrap foil around bottom and up outsides of 9"
diameter springform pan. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until well
blended. Press crust into bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake 10
minutes. Cool on rack.
For filling:
Boil coffee in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup. Cool
completely. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and
salt in large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs and yolks 1 at a time,
stopping occaisionally to scrape down sides of the bowl. Mix in espresso,
half and half, lemon juice, liqueur, lemon peel and vanilla. Pour filling
into crust. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 3250F. Insert toothpick into any air bubbles that
appear on surface of cheesecake. Place cheesecake in large baking pan. Add
enough cold water to pan to come 3/4" up sides of cheesecake. Bake until
cake edges are set but center still moves slightly when pan is gently
shaken, approximately 1-1/2 hours.
Remove cheesecake from water bath. Discard foil. Transfer cake to
rack and cool. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. (Can be prepared
2 days ahead.) Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star
tip. Pipe rosettes of cream around top edge of cheesecake. Top each
rosette with coffee bean and serve.

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