Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake

I swore I was never going to get hooked on coffee. I had friends and coworkers that couldn't function without coffee. My mom was a major coffee nut. Heck, she would brew several POTS a day and have a cup full at all times every day. Plain black coffee. I always loved the smell, hated the taste. It was bitter and weird and not something I thought even cream and sugar could make palatable. That all changed. The more I explored different foods and recipes and cultures, the more I played with and sampled new ingredients, the more I began to see coffee as something more than gut torching brown liquid. I discovered....... the cappuccino. We are talking the real deal here, not the sugary junk you get from a convenience store, the real coffee shop, Italian cappuccino made by a barista. I fell hard. Bought myself an espresso machine and, surprise surprise, a cookbook of coffee beverages. Lattes, macchiatos, flat whites, foam, whip, butter- you name it. I became somewhat obsessed.

I won this in a giveaway and it's perfect for baking.

I became a coffee snob. I only bought "the best" coffees, fancy cups to drink from, imported flavorings to change things up, specialty roasts and imported beans, to grind myself at home for the freshest possible cup of coffee. Then I discovered ICED coffee. Holy moly. A whole new world opened up for me and along with that came iced lattes and macchiatos. I joined the membership program at every local coffee place. Baristas began to recognize me. My espresso machine wore out. Starbucks came to Des Moines. The obsession grew.

I began exploring recipes using coffee in different ways. Brewed coffee in marinades, gravies and sauces. Ground coffee in rubs and spice blends. I learned that a little bit of coffee combined with chocolate in baked goods really made the chocolate flavor pop. I began to look at coffee in a whole new way. Fast forward a few years and I am now, like many others, hopelessly in love with coffee. I still don't like a plain cup of black coffee but make me a macchiato and I'm yours forever.

One day I decided to make a cheesecake. I had the greatest idea in mind- matcha green tea and raspberry. The beautiful green color of the tea and the bright raspberry red would look gorgeous together, right? I stocked up on everything I needed, cookies to crush for the crust, two pounds of cream cheese. Looked through the cupboard........no matcha powder to be found. Grrrrr. I needed a Plan B and fast! That's when my love affair with foo foo coffee came in. I always have coffee around, and just happened to have some caramel sauce. It was a natural and obvious conclusion- Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake, featuring the incredible gourmet chocolate from Sinful Food. I used about two squares from the Espresso bar, grating it with a small cheese grater and added half to the batter itself and the rest sprinkled over the top of the caramel sauce, so you get the added boost of flavor of the crushed espresso beans and the super high quality chocolate. Garnish each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and a chunk of Sinful Food espresso chocolate for a beautiful presentation.

You can get the Sinful Food gourmet chocolate by clicking HERE. You can buy Sunny Day Organics products by clicking HERE.

Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers

1/3 cup melted butter

2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons flour

4 eggs

1/4 cup cold espresso or very strong coffee

1/2 cup prepared caramel sundae sauce

2 squares Sinful Food Espresso Chocolate, grated, divided

Set oven to 325 degrees. Fill a baking dish with hot water and place in the oven on the lowest rack. Prepare an 8 inch springform pan- butter the sides and bottom well.

On a small bowl toss the crushed cookies and melted butter until combined. Press evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside.

Place the cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl- using a stand mixer makes this batter super easy. Use the paddle attachment and beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually add the sugars, vanilla, flour and eggs. Mix in the coffee and half the grated chocolate. Pour the batter over the crust in the pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until cake feels first and has a slight "jiggle"- it will continue to set on cooling. Cool on a rack, then cover and chill completely. I usually refrigerate this overnight before continuing.

Use a knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan. Place on serving plate and carefully remove the sides. Spoon the caramel all over the top or the cake. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate over the caramel sauce. Serve with whipped cream and additional caramel sauce, if desired.

After I made this cheesecake I asked for a few volunteer taste testers and chose four coworkers, Katie, Lia, Janelle and Taylor. Everyone loved it. I asked all four the same questions- how was the level of coffee flavor, too much or too little? Is the cheesecake sweet enough? Too sweet? Everyone agreed, the coffee flavor was on point with the caramel sauce being a perfect complement and the cheesecake was the right level of sweet for a dessert without being too sugary. I'd call this one a success!!

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