Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake – A Birthday Blunder

Here is another story of a baking project with not so stellar results. Because of my blog and my birthday, it created a perfect storm to whip up something great to showcase to my fellow friends and co-workers. Although a lot of people thought it was weird I wanted to make my own birthday cake, I told everyone at work not to buy me a “supermarket” cake this year. I was bringing in my special Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake from a recipe that my mother used to make. I never really knew what was in it, but all I know was that when someone important came over we served it for dessert. So I found the same recipe, got the ingredients and went to work. Everything came together, so I brought it in to work with me. Well, the original recipe called for letting it sit for 20 minutes before serving. By the time we got to it, it was Cheese soup! It still tasty good, but for presentation it would have got a double F. My poor co-workers, they keep saying how great it tasted, but I know they were thinking, “Man this lady is really a baking bimbo”! So as we all reflect on our birthdays, this is yet another baking mistake that I must face and move on, hoping that the knowledge it brings will make be a better baker in the end. I have discovered that if you don’t let it sit out and serve it straight from the freezer, it is a mighty good dessert. Enjoy!

Mocha Chocolate Cheesecake

1 ¼ cup crushed chocolate wafer cookies
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup margarine
8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup chocolate syrup
2 Tablespoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon hot water
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Mix crushed cookies with sugar and butter. Press into 9x13 pan. Chill. Beat cream cheese. Add milk and chocolate syrup. Dissolve coffee in water. Add to mixture. Fold in whipped cream. Cover and freeze at least 6 hours. Serve straight from the freezer.