French Silk Cheesecake Pie for Dad!
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This rich, smooth, creamy delight will have all your senses going. With the first layer of buttery shortbread, beneath a vanilla cheesecake, topped with light as air chocolate mousse and just because why not, finished with stiffly whipped whip cream! You're welcome!
Author:
Serves: 8 to 10
Ingredients
  • For the Crust:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ⅓ cup confectioners sugar
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter cubed
  • For the Cheesecake:
  • 16 oz. cream cheese, room temp
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs room temp
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved
  • 8¼ ounces mascarpone cheese, room temp
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Chocolate Mousse:
  • 6 oz. dark chocolate, 70%, melted
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1½ cups ultrafine sugar, also called baker's sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. instant espresso
  • 4 large eggs room temp.
  • Whipped Topping:
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. For the crust:
  2. Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 inch springform pan.
  3. In your food processor, place the flour, sugar, and salt and process to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps.
  4. Transfer the pastry to the prepared pan and, using your fingertips, evenly press the pastry onto the bottom of the pan. Gently pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork. Cover and place the pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven.
  6. Place the pan on a larger baking sheet and bake the crust until golden brown, about 13 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. It is now ready to be filled.
  7. For the cheesecake:
  8. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium until smooth, about 2 mintues. Scrap down sides of bowl and add the sugar and salt gradually while on medium. Scrape down sides of bowl and add the eggs one at a time and mix after each addition.
  9. Add the vanilla beans and mascarpone and mix until smooth and no lumps remain.
  10. Pour some of the filling until about half-way up the side of the pan. You will have left over filling. Save for another use (mini cheesecakes?).
  11. Wrap the bottom of the pan with tinfoil and place pan in large roasting pan and fill almost half-way up with hot/boiling water.
  12. Bake cheesecake 30 to 40 minutes until set. Center will be slightly jiggly. Remove and allow to cool completely at room temp and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours before you move on to the next layer.
  13. Chocolate Mousse:
  14. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals. Set aside.
  15. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, and pale about 5 to 7 minutes.
  16. Add the vanilla, espresso, salt and cooled chocolate. Beat on high until fully incorporated and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
  17. Switch to the whisk attachment. Add the eggs one at time and beat for 5 minutes before adding the next egg. Whole thing will take 20 minutes. After 20 minutes make sure mixture is silky and smooth with no graininess.
  18. Pour mousse mixture over chilled cheesecake layer. Fill almost to the top, leaving a little room. Again, you will have left over mousse to use how you like.
  19. Cover and place back in the fridge for 4 hours to overnight.
  20. Whipped Topping:
  21. In a clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla.
  22. Whip until stiff peaks form. Careful not to go too far or you will have butter.
  23. Decorate the chilled cheesecake as desired, I chose to pipe, but it would look just as nice free form. Chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Store any left overs covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe by Social Buttercream at http://socialbuttercream.com/2018/06/16/french-silk-cheesecake-pie-for-dad-chake-chike-pake-whatever-you-call-it-call-it-darn-good/