Red Velvet Cheese Cake

Ingredients for crust

Chocolate sandwich cookies crumbs 2 cups
Butter melted ½ cup

Ingredients for filling

Coco powder 1 tbsp
Hot water 2 tbsp
Cream cheese 2 packets of 8 ounces each
Cream 1 cup
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Fine sugar 1 cup
Eggs 3
Egg yolk 2
Liquid Red food color 1 ounce
Vanilla essence 1 ½ tsp

Ingredients for truffle topping (optional)

Milk chocolate 6 ounces
Cooking chocolate 3 ounces
Chopped unsalted butter ½ cup softened

Method for crust

In a bowl combine 2 cups cookie crumb and ½ cup butter, press into bottom of cheese cake pan and freeze.

Method for filling

Dissolve 1 tbsp coco powder in hot water and keep aside. Beat 2 packets of cream cheese, 1 cup cream, 1 cup sugar on medium speed until smooth for 3 minutes, add 3 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks 1 at a time, beating after each addition, mix in 1 ounce food color, 1 ½ tsp vanilla and dissolved coco, pour over frozen crust, bake in a pre heated oven until top is light brown and centre has a slight jiggle to it for 45 to 50 minutes, let cool in pan on wire rack for 2 hours, cover with plastic pack and refrigerate at least for 6 hours before topping, top each slice with spoon full of truffle topping or simply garnish with whipped cream.

Method for truffle topping

In top of double boiler melt 6 ounce milk chocolate and 3 ounce cooking chocolate string until smooth, let cool in a bowl beat ½ cup butter and melted chocolate on medium speed about 3 minutes. Put in fridge for 10 minutes to firm the frosting, beat again till fluffy for 2 minutes. Place truffle topping in a pastry bag fitted with star nozzle, decorate as required. Serve chilled.

Red Velvet Cheese Cake