Ever since getting espresso powder for Christmas from mom and dad, I’ve been loving my new take on chocolate desserts. It has become one of my favorite ingredients, which has been a boon for John who sucks down coffee like it’s his job every morning.I’m not kidding; it’s almost disturbing. But now, even I have been converted to this tasty espresso powder which infuses the dish with something special. I hate coffee but like the espresso powder, go figure. John’s just happy I found some way to convert myself to his way of thinking so that he can enjoy coffee-like desserts without begging for them.

And then Valentine’s Day came along. I think you’re supposed to do something nice for those you love on that special day so I didn’t even make John beg – just pulled up this recipe I had set aside a few months ago and set myself to making him a special treat. What I didn’t expect was how much I was going to like this cheesecake, too!

Cappucino Cheesecake (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Serves: 12
Oreo Crust:
15 ounces Oreos
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Bailey’s Ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
15 ounces dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup Baileys liqueur
Cappuccino Cheesecake:
24 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 tablespoons rum
2 1/2 tablespoons espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs

Oreo Crust: In a food processor, crush cookies until there are uniform crumbs. Add butter and process until crumbs begin to stick together, about 1 minutes. Transfer crumbs to a 9-inch springform pan. Press crumb mixture along the bottom and halfway up the sides. Set aside.

Bailey’s Ganache: Place dark chocolate chips and Bailey’s liqueur in a large bowl. Set aside. Bring cream to a simmer (do not boil) in a small pot until it is too hot to touch, stirring so no skin forms on the surface. Pour the hot cream over the dark chocolate chips. Let stand about 15 seconds and then whisk until all the ingredients are combined. Pour the ganace over the Oreo crust. Freeze until ganache layer is firm, about 40-60 minutes.

Cappuccino Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until blended. Beat in flour, rum, espresso powder, and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl between each addition. Pour filling over the frozen ganache. Place cheesecake on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until center is nearly set (moving only slightly when pan is shaken) 75-90 minutes. The top should be brown and puffy. Let the cheesecake sit for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Then, transfer the wire rack and cheesecake to the fridge. Refrigerate at least 3-4 hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Until the next time my oven is on…