Our friends at Community Coffee contacted me with a lovely recipe for you, and some new flavors for me to try! I am such a coffee lover as you know, but tea is also a favorite too! I was thrilled to try their Mardi Gras King Cake (omg) and Vanilla Creme Brulee. Let me just say, I was a pretty happy person! I just love unique flavors and the Mardi Gras one I had never heard of in a coffee flavor. They make their coffee in whole bean or ground if you do not have a Keurig machine. If you have never tired this coffee, you really must purchase some soon! It is really quite a treat, and these flavored coffees are a nice dessert without the calories! Now for their fabulous recipe:
Coffee Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs (from about 20 wafers) or graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons strongly-brewed Community® coffee
2 (8-ounce) packages Neufchatel cheese (lower fat than cream cheese), softened
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup strongly-brewed Community® coffee, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To make crust, combine wafer crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar. Add butter and thoroughly mix. Place in 9-inch pie pan sprayed with vegetable cooking spray; evenly press up sides and over bottom. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
3. In small microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, place chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons coffee. Heat coffee to a simmer in microwave; do not boil. Stir until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat Neufchatel cheese and ½ cup sugar until smooth. Add ⅓ cup coffee and vanilla; mix until combined and smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing on low speed and scraping bowl after each until blended. Pour over reserved crust.
5. Drizzle reserved coffee mixture all over filling; gently swirl with a knife tip. Bake in middle of oven for 30-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
6. Cut into 8 slices and serve.
Notes:
American Neufchatel cheese has about one-third less fat than regular cream cheese. Though you can use full fat cream cheese, this version lightens the dessert up a bit without sacrificing creamy, satisfying cheesecake texture.
To soften Neufchatel cheese, unwrap both packages and microwave on high power 30 seconds or until slightly soft. If it’s too cold, Neufchatel cheese won’t easily blend and small lumps will remain.
Crust short-cut: process wafers and sugar in food processor to make fine crumbs; add butter and process until well-mixed.
The pie pan will be quite full before baking so carefully place in oven.
You certainly can omit the coffee, chocolate swirl … but it adds mocha flavor and immense eye appeal.
Cracks in the cheesecake may occur. So? Simply consider them homemade beauty marks!
Check out “Dietary Guidelines Committee Gives Coffee Thumbs Up” for more information on coffee, diet and health.
Beth Witherspoon, MPH, RDN, has a passion for communicating culinary and nutrition information. She is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who consults with Community Coffee Company to help communicate the flavor and health benefits of coffee.
This recipe sounds so easy, and I like the fact you can make a healthier version if you so wish. Coffee and cheesecake are a fabulous combo!!
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Disclosure: I was
provided some coffee from Community Coffee for this review. There has been no
monetary compensation for this post. I only recommend products that I feel will
be of interest to my readers, and that I am truly impressed by. All opinions
are my own. Thank you!!
