Sunday, July 28, 2013

No Bake Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake 免烤巧克力芝士蛋糕

My boy turned 9!

14th July 2013
I just can’t believe my darling boy has turned 9!  Last month, he attended one of his classmates’ birthday party and his classmates had asked him to organize the same for his birthday too. He came back with this request. I was happy to support his suggestion and even promised to make him a birthday cake. However, his dad was reluctant with the idea of kids running around our house and the hassle of tidying up the aftermath. He later suggested throwing a small water splashes party at our golf/swimming club which was just 5 minutes away from our house instead. This win-win idea turned out to be a blast. Ray invited 4 of his close school buddies over and at the end of the birthday party; all of them rated this event as one of the best birthday parties they had ever attended. They gave a big thumb up for the great fun at the pool and the water guns we bought for each boy.

Frankly speaking, compared with bread baking, I was still pretty amateur in cake baking. But not to disappoint my boy, I needed to try my best and honour my word.  Knowing Ray loved chocolate and ice cream, I opted for the easy “no bake” cheesecake instead. I wrote to my good friend, Helen in Auckland for help.  She was the master that had taught me baking when I resided in Auckland. Her recipes were mostly idiot proof. Do check out the recipes that I attempted before, Lemon Cheesecake, Tiramisu and Moon Cake. I was thankful to her; she came back promptly to my request as she just did the same birthday cake for her daughter a month ago.

 
 
No Bake Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake 免烤巧克力芝士蛋糕
As you could see, the cake was not perfectly done. I had 2 failed attempts in the process of making this cake.  This was my first trial in making ganache.  I was hoping to have a smooth silky ganache but the cake ended up with bubbled surface and the ganache was not set enough to firm even after more than 3 hours of freezing in the fridge.


Ganache
Later, I did some checking and realized that part of the reasons why the ganache did not firm up was possibly due to the un-boiled fresh cream. I should bring the cream to boil for a minute or more to help reduce the water content in the cream and to break up the protein strands. Emulsified sauces combine better when the amount of water is reduced. I then recalled that I was pouring cold cream into melted chocolate instead of boiling the cream before adding it to chopped chocolate.  That was the first failed attempt.
 
Chocolate transfer sheet walls
 The second failed attempt the use of chocolate transfer sheets to decorate the edge of the cake.  Again, I failed to get the chocolate to firm up to tear the plastic sheet out from the chocolate coating. Not to ruin the cake presentation and for the sake of photo taking, I left the plastic sheet around the cake and only removed it when we wanted to cut the cake. However, I was relieved the cake was not completely a failure. Hubby did a great job in piping words onto the cake and we got the cake nicely decorated with Ray’s name.

 
Initially, I was really disappointed with the cake, but when my boy told me the cake was what he liked most out of all the food served that evening. I was over the moon! With that statement I rated the event “Mission Accomplished”! :-)

They say “don’t judge a book by its cover”.  This seems describe well this occasion.  The frozen cheesecake did taste really yummy despite my poor cake decoration skill!
Delicious Chocolate Cheesecake


 

No Bake Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake
 


Crust
150g  crushed Oreo  Chocolate cookies
70g butter, melted
 
Fillings
250gm cream cheese softened
200ml fresh cream,
200gm Dark Chocolate
3 tsp. gelatin powder
100ml  hot water
( no sugar as Chocolate is sweet)
  
Crust:
Follow the same steps as demonstrated in my previous No bake cheese Cake recipe.
 
Fillings:  
1.      Double boil to melt the chocolate until smooth paste and set aside to cool
2.      Dissolved 3 tsp. gelatine powder into 100ml of hot water.
3.      Place the cream cheese in a bowl, double boil and using an electric mixer, to beat cream cheese till it forms a smooth mixture set aside.
4.      In separate bowl beat fresh cream till stiff peaks form.
5.      Add in melted chocolate, gelatine and fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
6.      Remove the biscuit base from the fridge and pour the prepared cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base.
7.      Use a spatula to smooth out the top. Cover will a cling film or plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 3 hours. ( I placed overnight)
 





 
Ganache
Ganache
2/3 cup fresh/heavy cream
2/3 cup dark chocolate
 
Method:
1.      Double boil the chocolate and cream and stir until smooth.
 
Improve version: Extracted from Cakes and Mores
(Double boil fresh cream. When bubbles appear along the edges, turn off heat. Add the grated chocolate and mix. Keep aside for 3 min, use a wooden spoon to stir in one direction such that the cream and chocolate blend together to form a smooth mixture and no trace of chocolate chunks are left. The chocolate should melt completely.)
 
2.      Let cool at room temperature until thick cream texture.
(Allow to cool for 15 min at room temperature).
 
3.      Pouring ganache :
Remove the frozen cheesecake, place the cake on a cooling rack with a tray underneath to catch the drip and pour the ganache. Then lift the cake carefully and place on the cake platter.
 
Chocolate Walls Decoration :
250 grams of chocolate
 
If you wish to decorate the cake with chocolate walls, then recommend to do this step before pouring ganache on top layer to reduce the ganache used.
1.      Melt chopped chocolate by double boiling method.
2.      Using a measuring tape to measure the height of the cake and circumference of the cake.
3.      Cut baking paper to the length of circumference of the cake and the height of the paper slightly higher than the cake.
4.      Place the cut baking paper on a layer of baking paper or plastic ( to avoid messing the table top), pour melted chocolate and spread evenly to form thin layer onto the cut baking paper.
5.      Once chocolate slightly set, slowly lift the cut baking paper and place round the edge of the cake.
6.      Chill until chocolate walls set on the cake and then gently tear the entire baking paper and left the chocolate coating firm on the cake.
 
Decoration for birthday wording:
1.      Melt white chocolate or
2.      Add appropriate amount of water to icing sugar stir until the thick consistency that good for piping and put into piping bag.
3.      Pipe to write happy birthday.
 
 
免烤巧克力芝士蛋糕
 
蛋糕底
奥利奥巧可力夹心饼干一包(150克)、
黄油40
1、将饼干放入密封保鲜袋,用擀面杖擀碎,或是放入搅拌机中搅碎。
2、将黄油融化,然后与饼干碎搅拌均匀
3、蛋糕模底层和四周铺上烘焙用纸, 将拌匀的饼干碎平铺在20cm蛋糕模底部,轻轻压紧后放冰箱冷藏
 
蛋糕体
奶油奶酪250  鲜奶油200 ml   黑巧克力200   吉利丁粉3小勺   热水100 ml
(因巧克力已经很甜了,就没加糖)
 
1、巧克力隔水加热化开,搅至光滑无颗粒,离火,略微晾凉
2、吉利丁粉入热水中搅拌均匀,稍微放凉
3、鲜奶油用电动打蛋器打至7分发
4、奶油奶酪隔热水用电动打蛋器打至光滑细腻无颗粒
51+2+3+4混合均匀成巧克力奶酪糊
6、将奶酪糊倒入蛋糕模,盖上一层保鲜膜,放冰箱冷藏至少3小时
 
巧克力浇层
2/3杯鲜奶油
2/3杯黑巧克力
巧克力和奶油放到同一个大碗里,隔水加热化开,搅至光滑无颗粒
室温放凉至浓稠可流动的酱状, 取出冻好的蛋糕,将巧克力浇在蛋糕上。
 
蛋糕表层装饰
白巧克力隔热水融化后或者用icing sugar 加适量清水搅至浓稠后装入裱花袋
,剪一个很小的孔,在蛋糕表面写上生日快乐。
 
参考建议:巧克力围边(若用围边就把巧克力浇层一步放到最后,因就上面一层不需用太多的巧克力)
 
巧克力约250
1,巧克力掰小块隔水融合
2,用尺子量出蛋糕的高度,用绳子量出蛋糕的周长
3,拿一张烤盘纸baking paper,剪裁成跟蛋糕的周长差不多长短但比蛋糕略高的的纸条,巧克力液倒到纸上,均匀的抹开薄薄一层,等巧克力微微凝固时,整个提起纸围在蛋糕上
4,等冷藏至巧克力围边整个凝固后再轻轻的撕掉烤盘纸
 

 

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