Heath Bar Mocha Cheesecake
Submitted by cherylanni
Heath bar mocha cheesecake: a coffee-spiked cream cheese filling on a chocolate cookie crust loaded with toffee bits, crowned with chocolate ganache and more crushed Heath bars. Coffee, toffee, and chocolate in one slice.
YIELD
1 CakePREP
35 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
8 hrsCoffee, toffee, and chocolate all turn up in this rich, layered cheesecake, and it is as indulgent as it sounds. Crushed Heath bars work their way in twice: scattered over the chocolate cookie crust where they soften into chewy toffee pockets, and sprinkled over the top for crunch.
The filling is where the mocha magic happens. Instant coffee is dissolved in warm cream and chilled, then beaten into the cream cheese base, lacing every bite with a deep espresso note that balances all that sweetness.
As with any baked cheesecake, gentle is the goal: beat the batter smooth but not airy, and pull the cake when the edges are set but the center still jiggles, so it finishes setting as it cools rather than cracking.
A layer of milk chocolate ganache poured over the chilled cake and a shower of chopped toffee make it look as decadent as it tastes.
Chef Tips
- Dissolve the coffee fully in the warm cream and chill it before adding, so you don’t streak the batter or melt the cream cheese.
- Beat the filling smooth but don’t overbeat; too much air leads to cracks.
- Pull the cheesecake while the center still jiggles slightly, since it sets up as it chills.
- Let the ganache cool until slightly thickened before spreading so it doesn’t run off the edges.
Variations
- Swap the Heath bars for chopped Skor or Butterfinger.
- Use dark chocolate chips in the ganache for a less sweet finish.
- Add a shot of coffee liqueur to the filling for extra mocha depth.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃). Coarsely chop 4 Heath bars. Finely chop remaining 4 bars. Reserve separately.
CRUST: IN a food processor, grind cookies into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and process until mixed.
Press into bottom and about 1 inch up sides of a 9½ inch springform pan.
Sprinkle coarsely chopped Heat bars over crust. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
FILLING: In a 1-cup glass measure, combine ½ cup cream and coffee crystals.
Heat in a microwave oven on HIGH 40 to 60 seconds, or until coffee dissolves when stirred.
Refrigerate until cool, about 15 minutes. IN a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Beat in ½ cup cream, eggs, and vanilla until well mixed, 1 to 2 minutes.
With mixer on low speed, beat in chilled coffee-cream mixture; continue beating 5 minutes.
Turn into prepared crust. Bake 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheesecake looks set around edges and center still jiggles slightly. Let cake cool; then refrigerate.
TOPPING: When cake is cool, in top of a double boiler, heat together chocolate chips and remaining ⅓ cup cream, stirring often, until melted and smooth.
Let cool in refrigerator until slightly thickened. Spread topping over cheesecake.
Sprinkle finely chopped candy bars on top. Refrigerate until chocolate layer is set and cake is well chilled, 6 hours. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen cake and remove springform side of pan.
Comments
Family favorite for eons. Super rich. Birthday cake request.