"chocolate cheesecake" news and stories

Chocolate and raspberries conjure our favorite holiday desserts. You know, the real grown-up ones that emerge from the kitchen long after all the kids' cookies and confections have gone up to bed. This seriously adult cheesecake caught our eye for so many reasons. Check out that darker-than-dark crust, which seems to ground the lighter-than-air filling that dances on top of it. You can never go wrong when two chocolates join forces in one dessert -- and with the glaze, make it three.

We're also enamored with its delicate size. Instead of hefting out a whole dense cheesecake, tlboyd05 graces us with something that verges on being an all-too-decadent size for an individual serving. Studded with raspberries, this cake would make the perfect end to an elegant New Year's Eve supper or even a feast all its own. Either way, this dessert beckons, "by all means, have a glass of champagne with me."

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There was a time -- when I was a kid -- that I hated cheesecake. And I think I hated it either without tasting it at all or maybe tasting it once and not liking it. I guess it was just that my taste buds weren't fully mature yet (if such a thing happens) and I thought "cheese? In cake? Gah!" But I love it now, to the point I can't have just once slice, I'll eat it until I get that "so good I'm getting sick" feeling.

Today is National Cheesecake Day. Here's a ton of recipes from RecipeGal, including 3 Step Cheesecake, 7-Up Lemon Cheesecake with Strawberry Glaze, Carrot 'N Raisin Cheesecake, Chocolate Cheesecake, and Orange Chip Cheesecake (you might have to refresh some of those pages to make the recipes appear).

If you don't want to make one, why not order one from Eli's (Oprah loves them) or The Cheesecake Factory?

I have a confession to make. I didn't even taste cheesecake until I was around 30. I was one of those people that didn't associate cheese with desserts. It didn't sound right to me. But you can imagine my joy when I actually tried cheesecake all those years ago.

And Bon Appetit has a list of the cheesecakes for their Cheesecake Hall of Fame. It includes Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake, Key Lime Cheesecake, Orange Blossom Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Cheesecake. You might notice that there isn't a basic cheesecake recipe on the list, but as the mag explains, they are their newest favorites. Modern spins on the classic.

You can also listen to a podcast about cheescake (scroll down to Episode Sixteen).