German Chocolate Cheesecake Recipes

Steps:

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and brown sugar; stir in butter. , Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the chocolate, brown sugar and cocoa. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in extracts. Pour into crust., Place pan in a large baking pan. Fill larger pan with 1 in. water. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Remove sides of pan. , In a large saucepan, combine topping ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Cool. Spread topping over cheese cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Make the crust: Wrap the outside (bottom and side) of a 9-inch springform pan with foil. Coat the inside of the pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pulse the graham crackers, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor until fine moist crumbs form, about 1 minute. Press evenly into the bottom and 1/4 inch up the side of the prepared pan. Bake until set, about 15 minutes; transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Make the topping: Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Spread the coconut on one and the pecans on the other. Bake, stirring the coconut once or twice, until the coconut and pecans are toasted, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool. Pulse the pecans in the food processer until coarsely chopped; transfer to a small bowl. Combine the butter, egg yolks, sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reduces and caramelizes slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped pecans and 1 1/2 cups coconut (reserve the remaining coconut for topping). Set aside to cool.
• Make the cheesecake: Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and set on the lower oven rack. Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted; let cool to lukewarm. Wipe out the food processor; add the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder and salt and pulse until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides. Add the melted chocolate, sour cream and vanilla; pulse until combined.
• Transfer about half of the batter to the prepared crust; smooth with a spatula. Spoon about two-thirds of the topping evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter; smooth the top. Set on the middle oven rack (directly over the pan of water) and bake until set around the edge but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Run a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake and remove the springform ring. Microwave the remaining topping to soften, about 30 seconds (stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water to loosen, if necessary). Spread on top of the cheesecake; top with the reserved coconut.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix chocolate wafer crumbs, 2 Tbsp. of the sugar and 3 Tbsp. butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 min.
• Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the flour in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add chocolate and 2 tsp. of the vanilla; mix well. Add 3 of the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
• Place milk, remaining sugar, the 1/4 cup butter, remaining egg and remaining 1/2 tsp. vanilla in small saucepan; cook on medium-low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool. Spread over cheesecake just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions; set aside. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. , Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Gently pour cream cheese mixture over batter. Gently spoon remaining batter over top; spread to edge of pan., Bake at 325° for 70-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. , For frosting, in a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until thickened and a thermometer reads 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. , Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla; fold in coconut and pecans. Cool until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cooled cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Line three greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper. Grease waxed paper and set aside. In small saucepan, melt chocolate with water over low heat; cool. , Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in 4 egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., In a small bowl and with clean beaters, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into creamed mixture; fold in remaining whites., Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small saucepan, heat sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla extract. Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread a third of the frosting over each cake layer and stack the layers. , In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Steps:

• Crust: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar and cocoa.
• Add egg, butter and vanilla.
• Beat with mixer till well combined.
• With well buttered fingers, press dough into the bottom of greased 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake crust at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
• Set crust aside to cool (in pan) while mixing filling.
• Filling: In large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar& sour cream.
• Beat with mixer till smooth.
• Add eggs and yolk one at a time.
• Beat well after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Stir in chocolate.
• Pour filling over crust.
• Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, lower temp to 200° and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until center is no longer shiny or wet looking.
• Remove cake from oven, and run a knife around the inside edge of pan.
• Chill cake uncovered overnight!
• Coconut Pecan Topping: Melt butter in small saucepan.
• Stir in sugar, evap milk and egg yolk.
• Cook and stir over low heat about 10 minutes or till thickened.
• Stir in 2/3 cup coconut, chopped pecans and vanilla.
• Spread topping over cake.
• Garnish: (optional) Garnish with 1/3 cup coconut, pecan halves and chocolate curls.
• Keep cake in refrigerator till time to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Scatter the pecans evenly over the baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool the nuts completely and chop.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream of coconut, and butter and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together until smooth. Slowly pour in about ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture to temper the eggs, so they won't curdle, and then, whisking constantly, add the remainder of the milk in a steady stream. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
• Let cool completely before frosting the cake. The frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan or coat with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
• Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and pour in the hot coffee and vanilla. Let stand for about 2 minutes to melt the chocolate, then stir until smooth.
• While the chocolate is melting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Let the mixer run on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes to aerate the flour.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together until thick, satiny, and light in color. Whisk in the sour cream, being careful not to overmix; leave some visible streaks of white.
• Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add the chocolate-sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing until well blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand (if using) and, using a rubber spatula, incorporate any ingredients hiding at the bottom of the bowl, making sure the batter is completely mixed.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pans firmly on the countertop to remove any air bubbles from the batter.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes, then use the parchment "handles" to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool completely.
• Transfer the cake to a serving platter (you can keep the edges of the platter clean while you frost the cake by sliding strips of parchment underneath the cake). Frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting.
• The cake can be stored, loosely covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch or two 9-inch round cake pans with the cooking spray. Cut three 8-inch or two 9-inch rounds of cooking parchment paper. Line bottoms of pans with the paper.
• Coarsely chop the chocolate. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the chocolate and water over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is completely melted; remove from heat and cool.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking soda and salt until mixed; set aside. In another medium bowl, beat 2 cups sugar and 1 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy; set aside.
• On medium speed, beat 1 egg yolk at a time into the sugar mixture until mixed. On low speed, beat in the melted chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, beat in 1/2 of the flour mixture just until smooth, then beat in 1/2 of the buttermilk just until smooth. Repeat beating in flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk just until smooth.
• Wash and dry mixer beaters. In a small bowl, beat the eggs whites on high speed until beaten eggs whites form stiff peaks when beaters are lifted. Add egg whites to the batter; to fold in, use a rubber spatula to cut down vertically through the batter, then slide the spatula across the bottom of the bowl and up the side, turning batter over. Rotate the bowl 1/4 turn, and repeat this down-across-up motion. Continue folding until batter and egg whites are blended.
• Pour batter into pans; use a rubber spatula to scrape batter from bowl, spread batter evenly in pans and smooth top of batter. (If batter is not divided evenly, spoon batter from one pan to another.) Refrigerate batter in third pan if not all pans will fit in oven at one time; bake third pan separately.
• Bake 8-inch pans 35 to 40 minutes, 9-inch pans 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. To remove cake from pan, invert onto cooling rack, then invert right side up on second cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, stir the 3 egg yolks, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, the evaporated milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well mixed. Cook over medium heat about 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and bubbly. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Cool about 30 minutes, beating occasionally with a spoon, until mixture is spreadable.
• Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on a cake plate; using a metal spatula, spread 1/3 of the filling over the layer. Add second layer, rounded side down; spread with 1/3 of the filling. Add third layer, rounded side up; spread with remaining filling, leaving side of cake unfrosted. Store cake covered in the refrigerator.