11/19/14

S'mores Cheesecake


Please forgive me for not sharing this recipe years ago. I wanted to, I really did, but the problem with a recipe this good is that I always make it to share, and therefore I never get a chance to photograph it before slicing it up. Or after, since there are rarely leftovers. This time, however, I managed to do both, and I'm so excited to finally share it with you. Hopefully you will forgive me for being so selfish with such a delicious recipe.

And delicious it is, friends. So, so delicious. Buttery graham crust. Milk chocolate cheesecake. A fluffy, toasted marshmallow creme on top. It is even more delicious than it sounds. The chocolate cheesecake alone is sheer perfection, and one I've made by itself before because it turns out so well. I have never gotten cracks in it, despite not baking it in a water bath and not even being that careful most of the time knowing that the top will be covered with a fluffy marshmallow layer. True to s'mores form, the cheesecake is a sweet, milk chocolate. Don't expect dark chocolate, although you could do that if you want. For me, the milk chocolate is required for true s'mores flavor. The marshmallow topping is also delicious in its own right, and is just thick, fluffy and sweet enough to stand in for marshmallows. A little roasting under the broiler gives it the delicious toasted flavor that makes a s'more a s'more. No campfire required.




S'mores Cheesecake

Heat Oven To 350 Published 11/19/2014
S'mores Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from ~9 whole crackers ground fine in a food processor)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 9 ounces milk chocolate bar (not chips) chopped
  • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors (mini marshmallows have too much cornstarch coating to work well as a sub here)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. For the crust: Make sure oven rack is in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture on the bottom of a 9" diameter springform pan. Bake in preheated oven until crust is starting to brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Reduced oven temperature to 325 degrees.
  2. For the filling: In a double boiler or a microwave at 50% power, melt chocolate. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
  3. In a food processor, combine cream cheese, sugar and salt and process until smooth. With the processor running, add whipping cream and process just until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, with the motor running, stopping to scraped down sides after each addition.
  4. When the last egg has been added and the mixture is processed smooth, pour it into the springform pan over the cooled crust and bake until the cheesecake is slightly puffed and has barely set in the center (It will look shiny in the very middle and jiggle slightly when the pan is gently shaken.) about 55-65 minutes. Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Cool on the counter for an hour, then place in the fridge and chill, uncovered, 8 hours or overnight. The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead.
  5. For the topping: Whisk the sugar, egg whites, 3 tablespoons water, cream of tartar and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large metal or glass bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water (making sure the water doesn't actually touch the bowl) and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and is hot to touch. This can take anywhere from about 5 minutes to 15 depending on whether your bowl is metal or glass and how thick it is. The mixture will whiten as it starts to thicken but make sure it is hot to the touch before you move on to the next step.
  6. Remove bowl from heat (leave pan of water simmering on the stove) and stir in marshmallows. Let stand until the marshmallows are starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Place bowl back over simmering water and, using a hand held electric mixer, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form, about 4-8 minutes. (Again, this is variable. Go by visual clues over time.) Beat in vanilla.
  7. Spoon topping onto cheesecake, and spread with an offset spatula. Use spatula to make decorative peaks. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.
  8. Preheat broiler. Place cheesecake 4+ inches from broiler elements and broil until topping is lightly browned in spots. You must watch this closely because it will not take long to go from lightly browned to burnt. Chill cake until cold.
Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 35 mins.
Cook time: 9 hrs. 20 mins. Includes 8 hours chilling time
Total time: 9 hrs. 55 mins.
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

9 Click For Comments:

things like this are just another one of the many reasons I miss living by you :)

How have you not even told your sister about this recipe!?

Really? I cut it out of Bon Appetit when we were living in MN, but I don't think I made it until right after we moved to Utah. You should make it. :)

You're so sweet. I miss your pumpkin bread every fall. I've tried making it myself but it never is the same. Which reminds me, I should try it again this year . . . :)

Glad you got around to photographing this, Nicole -- what a gorgeous cheesecake! And that marshmallow topping looks amazing!

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