Two tablespoons of instant espresso powder, dissolved in a spoonful of hot water, turn the filling a light coffee tan.
The crust is chocolate cookie crumbs, so it bakes darker than graham. The caramel is not baked in; it is drizzled over each slice at serving with dollops of whipped cream.
Ingredient Notes
- Instant espresso powder
- Two tablespoons dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water before it goes into the filling.
- Chocolate cookie crumbs
- A cup and a half with melted butter, for a crust darker than graham.
- Caramel sauce and whipped cream
- Half a cup of caramel and a cup of whipped cream, both for serving.
How to Make It
Chocolate cookie crust baked 8 minutes
Heat the oven to 325°F. Mix the cookie crumbs with the butter, press into a 9-inch springform pan, and bake 8 minutes.
Espresso filling mixed
Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add the eggs one at a time, then the espresso, vanilla and sour cream.
Baked until set, chilled 6 hours
Bake 50 to 55 minutes, until set at the edges with a slight wobble in the centre. Cool and chill for at least 6 hours.
Sliced with caramel and whipped cream
Slice and serve with caramel drizzled over the top and down the sides, and dollops of whipped cream.
Coffee, Caramel and Cream
A macchiato is espresso marked with milk; here each part of that drink lands in a different place on the plate.
- BitterInstant espresso powder and the chocolate cookie crust
- Coffee in the filling and a dark crust underneath keep the cheesecake from tasting only sweet.
- SweetCaramel sauce
- Added at serving, over the top and down the sides of each slice.
- CreamyCream cheese, sour cream and whipped cream
- The rich filling itself, softened by sour cream and topped with light whipped cream.
Why This Recipe Works
- Dissolving the espresso powder first spreads the coffee evenly with no dark specks in the filling.
- A chocolate cookie crust gives a dark, bitter-sweet base under the coffee layer.
- Keeping the caramel for serving lets it run down the sides of each slice and pool on the plate.
- The whipped cream goes on last, so it stays soft on the cold cheesecake.
Serving Ideas
Serve wedges on plates with caramel run over the top and down into a small pool, whipped cream dollops streaked with a little more caramel.
Success Tips
- Let the dissolved espresso cool for a minute before beating it into the filling.
- Drizzle the caramel from a spoon near the edge of each slice so it runs down the side.
- Pipe or spoon the whipped cream just before serving.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Keep the cheesecake, especially once topped with whipped cream, refrigerated at 40°F or below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the coffee flavour come from?
Instant espresso powder dissolved in hot water and beaten into the filling.
Is the caramel baked into the cheesecake?
No. It is drizzled over the chilled slices when you serve them.
