CHEESECAKE-6() - BO'S CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE

This recipe came to me from a friend of mine, Bo (pronounced ``boo'') Ture Ahlberg, who would occasionally (read ``whenever we could persuade him'') bring it into work. Needless to say, it would be snarfed up immediately.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 1 cheesecake)

700 g (24 oz)

cream cheese, broken into pieces

(4)

eggs, separated

30 ml (2 Tbsp)

vanilla extract (do not use artificial vanilla)

250 ml (1 cup)

sour cream

50 g (¼ cup)

brown sugar, or to taste

450 g (1 lb)

chocolate chips

450 g (1 lb)

graham cracker crumbs

125 g (½ cup)

butter, melted.

PROCEDURE

(1)

Preheat the oven to 160°C .

(2)

Prepare the batter: place the egg yolks in a food processor for 5 seconds, then add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and process for several minutes, or until the batter is very smooth. Beat the eggwhites and fold into the cheese mixture. Set aside.

(3)

Prepare the crust: soften butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs. Mix until fully blended, \fIe.g.\fR they will form a ball when squeezed in your hand or by a spoon. Pat the crust into the sides and bottom of a springform pan about 22 cm in diameter.

(4)

Spread a generous layer of chips on the bottom of the pan, and then pour the batter into the pan. Add another generous layer of chips to the top of the cake.

(5)

Place the filled pan into the preheated oven. Baking time will vary from about 30 minutes to 2 hours. Cooking time depends on whether you want a soft, gooey ``New York'' style cheesecake (shorter) to a fluffy ``souffl\z\(aae''-like cheesecake (longer). The longer you cook it, the fluffier it gets.

(6)

When the cake starts to rise like a souffl\z\(aae, start checking to see if it is done. It will just about double in volume, and should not flow over the sides of the pan. If the cake shimmers like Jello when shaken, it is done. Alternatively, if a knife inserted comes out clean, the cake is overcooked: the knife should be very lightly coated with batter.

NOTES

RATING