February.
Many neighborhood fly fishers spend February scanning the weather forecast fervently for fishable days and trying to will the first Blue Winged Olives and Skwalas of the year into existence (dream on buster, though this year could be one of those early years…).
Those of us easily distracted by such piscatorial pursuits can easily fall prey to missing another important February date coming up next week. That important date being Valentine’s day.
After a two year string of forgetting to get She Who Must Be Obeyed gifts for Valentine’s day, and scrounging around Kalispell for fresh flowers and really good dark chocolate (neither of which ever seemed to make it to northwestern Montana in relevant quantities for late shoppers), I vowed to never wade into such troubled waters again.
Valentine’s day salvation shall forever be delivered in the form of this irresistible monument to all things chocolate – our Ancho Chile Chocolate Cheesecake.
Powerfully chocolate flavor without a hint of bitterness, neither too dense nor cloyingly sweet with just a hint of ancho chile powder to keep your taste buds on their toes. This one is strong medicine.
There are three key things you need to know about this recipe. One, it must stay untouched in the cooling oven for several hours; overnight (if you’re in cool weather country) is probably even better. If it still looks a little soft in the middle it will firm up when you put it in the fridge.
Second, don’t tell the loved one you’re trying to impress how easy this recipe really is to put together. Never, never ever, give away that juju when you’re trying to impress someone.
And third, once you make this for Valentine’s day you’ll be doing it again and again – tuck this recipe away.
Crust
1 and 1/4 cups freshly ground graham cracker crumbs
6 tbs melted butter
1/2 cup cocoa (SWMBO prefers Ghirardelli)
2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tbs butter for the panAncho Chocolate Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tbs ancho chile powder (more if your chile’s wimpy)
2 tbs cocoa (see above)
1 and 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips, melted
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla, two fold
2 cups sour cream
Make the crust. Preheat your trusty oven to 325. Combine the crust ingredients, mix well and pat into the bottom of a well-buttered 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; set aside to cool.
Create a little chocolate-chile magic. Using your trusty stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and smooth. Add the sugar, then thoroughly beat in the eggs one at a time.
One at a time, stir in the ancho chile, cocoa, melted chocolate and vanilla; mix very well after each ingredient is added.
Add the sour cream and beat until smooth and of uniform color; stop the mixer.
Put it together for the oven. Pour into the springform pan, smooth it artfully and bake for an hour and 10 minutes (still at 325). Turn off the oven right on time and don’t touch the cheesecake for at least several hours (yep, it stays in the cooling oven).
Chill out. Chill for at least 8 hours in the fridge; if it doesn’t appear solid it’ll firm up when chilled.
Serve your masterpiece. Serve cold; slice with a hot, clean knife, dipped in hot water between slices. This is powerful chocolate medicine and a little goes a long way.
I guarantee there’ll be a fight over the last piece.
Enjoy.
