It’s been a while since I posted about cheesecake, but for the devoted FoodMayhemites, you know I love me some cheesecake. So for our early Hanukkah celebration, I decided to create a new recipe (as I’ve done before). The only real requirements were that it include fresh vanilla bean and use an Oreo crust. Both of these requirements were simply due to having the ingredients on hand.
The inspiration came from the Oreos themselves. The whole cake is kind of like a mashed up Oreo, but a bit fancier. When you bite into it, the scent of vanilla fills your nose and the creaminess coats your tongue. Then the rich chocolate flavor, enhanced by the vanilla, takes over, and it’s like drinking really rich chocolate milk.
Unlike my normal cooking, where I write the recipe down as I cook; baking needs a bit more thought. I spent over an hour working up this recipe before even walking into the kitchen. It got rave reviews from the test subjects. I hope you enjoy it too…
Vanilla – Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
~makes one 9″ cake
Ingredients
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- 5.5 oz Oreo Cookies (14 pieces), crumbled
- 3 tbsp. Natural Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp. Milk, warmed
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp. White Sugar
- 24 oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 3 eggs
Instructions
1. While softening cream cheese, open vanilla bean, scrape seeds into heavy cream, cut pod length in half, drop in cream. Refrigerate for an hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Boil a pot of water (in a tea kettle is preferable). Wrap outside of 9-inch springform pan in aluminum foil.
3. Combine the melted butter and cookie crumbs. Press into a 9-inch springform. Pack tightly along the bottom and one inch up the side. Set aside.
4. In at least two cup mixing bowl, dissolve cocoa, vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp. sugar into warmed milk. Set aside.
5. Cream together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in heavy cream / vanilla mixture (remove pod casings first, leave seeds).
6. Add 1/2 cup of cream cheese mixture to cocoa mixture. Combine thoroughly.
7. Pour half of cream cheese mixture over crust in pan. Spoon 1/2 of the cocoa mixture into pan. Pour remaining cream cheese mixture into pan. Pour remaining cocoa mixture into pan in several separate spots (not evenly). Swirl with tip of knife or skewer to create a marbled effect.
8. Move pan into a larger tray for water bath, and put in pre-heated oven. Fill tray at least one inch with water from tea kettle. Bake 45-55 min at 325… do not open the oven during baking! Around 45 min start keeping an eye on the cake. It should be set around the edges and slightly gelatinous in the middle. This means it is done.
9. When done, turn off the oven and open the over door about two inches. Leave it this way for another hour. Afterward, wrap the pan (leave the aluminum foil on) in saran wrap and refrigerate over night.
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that looks so beautiful! *sigh* if my skills would finally be able to one day make those.. 🙂
I love oreo crust, so addictive. I have just recently become a fan of cheesecake ( I know a crime in your book.) You did an amazing job with it and it looks delicious.
OMG that looks delicious!!!!! What if you dont have any vanilla beans? Can I leave it out?
This looks scrumptious. I need to get some vanilla beans!
I was always wondered, how do people ‘come up’ with recipes while baking. Are there any rules considering the measurments have to be so precise?
Totes forgot to say how divine the cheesecake looks….
Pearl – You can do it! Just remember the tips I mentioned (about not over cooking and leaving it in the oven while it cools down)
Thanks Manger… It was a crime, but it sounds like you’ve repented 🙂
Wonders, in most recipes you can use vanilla extract in place of the bean, you just need to account for the extra liquid. In this recipe, I’d recommend adding two teaspoons of vanilla extract to the heavy cream, but don’t reduce any liquid. Let me know how it comes out! Btw, you can easily order vanilla bean online, but it is pricey with shipping.
Thanks Mary!
Manasi, good question! The main answer is annoying: experience. I’ve made dozens of cheesecakes and I know what each of the ingredients does. And yes, there are definitely rules. In the end, you have to just experiment.
I am annoyed! 🙂 I understand experimentation and experience is the key but I was wondering about the basics. Do you have a book you would recomment Lon, just so I can minimize the margin of error?
The swirl effect is beautiful! I love me some cheesecake too 🙂
and what a gorgeous plate
Manasi – Well, some baking books, like King Arthur’s do give tips on conversions between various baking ingredients. And “Professional Baking” by Wayne Gisslen is a good book that goes into detail on what ingredients do. But again, the best thing is just experience and experimentation. If you have specific questions about ingredients we can try to help.
Thanks! I will definately look online.
Lon, thanks for the offer to help. Experimenting with cheese sounds like a win win situation though 🙂
Lovely…lovely… the swirls are so beautiful.
how marvelous! i’ve never seen such wonderful swirl-work, and i’m sure it’s as easy on the palate as it is on the eyes. 🙂
Thanks for all the compliments…I’ll leave all the cheesecake making to Lon from now on. =)
The cheesecake Rock’s
Thanks Keith, it sure does!
so I´m baking this right now and wondering if you mean freezing with refrigerate or just cooling? ><
Laylit, just put it in the refrigerator, not freezer.
The cake was awsoome,though i accidentaly mixed half of the batter with the cocoapowder xD”.was loved by everyone 😀