Time-consuming, but it looks great... will have to try this this weekend and I'll let you know how it turns out (I'm buying the cookies for it!).
Dawn
Pecan Cookie Crust
1 Cup Pecan pieces
6 Chocolate Fudge Cookies
1 Teaspoon Unsalted Butter, Melted
Chocolate Cheesecake
8 Oz Semisweet Chocolate in 1/2 Inch Pieces
1/4 Cup Brewed Coffee -- Full Strength
3/4 Pound Cream Cheese -- Softened
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Pumpkin Cheesecake
2 Teaspoons Unsalted Butter, Melted
1 Pound Cream Cheese, Softened
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Pumpkin, Solid Pack
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
1/4 Teaspoon Cloves
Semisweet Chocolate Ganache
1 Cup Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Sugar
12 Oz Semisweet Chocolate -- 1/2 Inch Pieces
Topping
3/4 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
12 Pecan Halves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Toast pecan pieces on baking sheet in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven & allow to cool to room temperature. Lower oven temp to 300.
In food processor, chop cookies & pecans (20-30 seconds) until they are crumbs (yield 2 cups). Set aside until needed.
Coat bottom of 9x3-inch springform pan with 1 teaspoon melted butter. Use hands to press 1 cup crumbs to a uniform & level thickness on the buttered bottom of the pan. Set aside.
TO PREPARE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE:
Heat 1" of water in bottom of double boiler over medium-high heat. Place semi-sweet chocolate & coffee in top of double boiler. Tightly cover the top with Saran & allow to heat for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat & stir til smooth.
Put 3/4 pound softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup of sugar & 1/2 teaspoon salt in mixer bowl fitted with paddle. Beat on low for 1 minute,on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl,then beat on medium for 2 more minutes & on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Add eggs,1 at a time beating on high for 20 seconds & scraping bowl after each addition. then beat the mixture for 1 minute more on high.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla & beat on medium for 15 seconds. Add melted chocolate,then beat on medium for 30 seconds. Remove bowl. Use rubber spatula to finish mixing batter til smooth & thoroughly
combined. Pour cheese cake mixture into prepared springform pan.spreading evenly. Keep at room temperature while preparing pumpkin cheesecake layer.
TO PREPARE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE:
Coat inside of a 9x1 1/2-inch cake pan with 1 tsp butter.Line the pan with an 8-inch square of parchment paper.Coat parchment paper with remaining teaspoon of butter. Set aside until needed.
Place 1 pound of softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar,flour & 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl of mixer with paddle.Beat on low for 1 minute,on medium for 2 minute. Scrape down bowl,then beat on medium for 2 more minutes & on high for 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on high for 20 seconds,scraping down bowl after each addition. Add teaspoon vanilla & beat on medium for 15 seconds,then beat on high for 2 more minutes. Add pumkin, cinnamon, allspice & cloves, then beat for 30 seconds.
Remove bowl. Use rubber spatula & finish mixing til smooth & thoroughly combines. Pour pumpkin
cheesecake into prepared cake pan, spreading
evenly.
Place a 9x1 1/2-inch cake pan partially filled with 4 cups of hot water on the bottom rack of the 300° oven (the bottom rack should be at least 3-inches below center rack), Place both cheesecakes on the center rack of the oven & bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes,until the internal
temperature of cheesecake fillings reaches 170°.Turn off oven & allow cheesecakes to
remain in oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven & cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.Refrigerate the chocolate cheesecake for 1 hour, but keep pumpkin cheesecake at room temperature (Do not remove either cake from the pan)
9. PREPARE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
Heat the whipping cream, butter and sugar in
a 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir til smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour 1 cup of semisweet chocolate ganache over the top of the chilled chocolate cheesecake. Spread the ganache evenly over the top of the cake. Invert pumpkin cheesecake onto the layer of
ganache. Gently press down on the cake to set
in place. Wrap the entire springform pan with Saran wrap & refrigerate for 3 hours to set.
The cheesecake can now be released from
springform pan. Remove the Saran & wrap a damp,hot towel around the sides of the pan
(the towel should be large enough to completely wrap around & cover the sides of the pan) & hold around the pan for about 1 minute.Carefully release & remove springform pan. Using cake spatula,smooth the sides of the cake with 2 to 3 tablespoons of ganache. Spread the remaining amount of ganache evenly across top of the cake. Press the remaining cookie/pecan crumbs into the
side of the cake,coating evenly. Refrigerate
for at least 30 minutes before cutting and
serving.
Dawn
Pecan Cookie Crust
1 Cup Pecan pieces
6 Chocolate Fudge Cookies
1 Teaspoon Unsalted Butter, Melted
Chocolate Cheesecake
8 Oz Semisweet Chocolate in 1/2 Inch Pieces
1/4 Cup Brewed Coffee -- Full Strength
3/4 Pound Cream Cheese -- Softened
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Pumpkin Cheesecake
2 Teaspoons Unsalted Butter, Melted
1 Pound Cream Cheese, Softened
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Pumpkin, Solid Pack
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Allspice
1/4 Teaspoon Cloves
Semisweet Chocolate Ganache
1 Cup Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Sugar
12 Oz Semisweet Chocolate -- 1/2 Inch Pieces
Topping
3/4 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
12 Pecan Halves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Toast pecan pieces on baking sheet in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven & allow to cool to room temperature. Lower oven temp to 300.
In food processor, chop cookies & pecans (20-30 seconds) until they are crumbs (yield 2 cups). Set aside until needed.
Coat bottom of 9x3-inch springform pan with 1 teaspoon melted butter. Use hands to press 1 cup crumbs to a uniform & level thickness on the buttered bottom of the pan. Set aside.
TO PREPARE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE:
Heat 1" of water in bottom of double boiler over medium-high heat. Place semi-sweet chocolate & coffee in top of double boiler. Tightly cover the top with Saran & allow to heat for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat & stir til smooth.
Put 3/4 pound softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup of sugar & 1/2 teaspoon salt in mixer bowl fitted with paddle. Beat on low for 1 minute,on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl,then beat on medium for 2 more minutes & on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Add eggs,1 at a time beating on high for 20 seconds & scraping bowl after each addition. then beat the mixture for 1 minute more on high.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla & beat on medium for 15 seconds. Add melted chocolate,then beat on medium for 30 seconds. Remove bowl. Use rubber spatula to finish mixing batter til smooth & thoroughly
combined. Pour cheese cake mixture into prepared springform pan.spreading evenly. Keep at room temperature while preparing pumpkin cheesecake layer.
TO PREPARE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE:
Coat inside of a 9x1 1/2-inch cake pan with 1 tsp butter.Line the pan with an 8-inch square of parchment paper.Coat parchment paper with remaining teaspoon of butter. Set aside until needed.
Place 1 pound of softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar,flour & 1/2 teaspoon salt in bowl of mixer with paddle.Beat on low for 1 minute,on medium for 2 minute. Scrape down bowl,then beat on medium for 2 more minutes & on high for 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on high for 20 seconds,scraping down bowl after each addition. Add teaspoon vanilla & beat on medium for 15 seconds,then beat on high for 2 more minutes. Add pumkin, cinnamon, allspice & cloves, then beat for 30 seconds.
Remove bowl. Use rubber spatula & finish mixing til smooth & thoroughly combines. Pour pumpkin
cheesecake into prepared cake pan, spreading
evenly.
Place a 9x1 1/2-inch cake pan partially filled with 4 cups of hot water on the bottom rack of the 300° oven (the bottom rack should be at least 3-inches below center rack), Place both cheesecakes on the center rack of the oven & bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes,until the internal
temperature of cheesecake fillings reaches 170°.Turn off oven & allow cheesecakes to
remain in oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove from the oven & cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.Refrigerate the chocolate cheesecake for 1 hour, but keep pumpkin cheesecake at room temperature (Do not remove either cake from the pan)
9. PREPARE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
Heat the whipping cream, butter and sugar in
a 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir til smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour 1 cup of semisweet chocolate ganache over the top of the chilled chocolate cheesecake. Spread the ganache evenly over the top of the cake. Invert pumpkin cheesecake onto the layer of
ganache. Gently press down on the cake to set
in place. Wrap the entire springform pan with Saran wrap & refrigerate for 3 hours to set.
The cheesecake can now be released from
springform pan. Remove the Saran & wrap a damp,hot towel around the sides of the pan
(the towel should be large enough to completely wrap around & cover the sides of the pan) & hold around the pan for about 1 minute.Carefully release & remove springform pan. Using cake spatula,smooth the sides of the cake with 2 to 3 tablespoons of ganache. Spread the remaining amount of ganache evenly across top of the cake. Press the remaining cookie/pecan crumbs into the
side of the cake,coating evenly. Refrigerate
for at least 30 minutes before cutting and
serving.