Gluten Free Coffee Toffee Cheesecake

Cheesecake is such a delicious and impressive looking dessert.  Some people think making a cheesecake is a daunting task...but it's not!  It really is quite easy, with a few tips to help make the perfect cheesecake.  When making a cheesecake gluten free, it's usually only the crust you have to revamp.  This gluten free version of a Coffee Toffee Cheesecake is so amazing.  It never fails to please and impress those I serve it to. This cheesecake has a smooth mix of coffee and chocolate with a gluten free chocolate crust, and topped with crunchy chocolate covered toffee and melted chocolate, every mouthful is a delight!  I top mine with my Homemade Whipped Cream and all is right in the world.

Gluten Free Coffee Toffee Cheesecake

I am a great lover of  chocolate covered toffee, such as Heath Bars and Skor Bars.  You crunch one of those babies up and put on just about anything, and  I will happily eat it (now note I said "just about" anything.  I once said I'd probably eat a tire if you crunched a Heath Bar on it, but I think that was going too far).  It seems every dessert I make with this confectionery delight is well liked and raved over, and this Coffee Toffee Cheesecake is no exception! When I make this cheesecake, people always think I bought it from Cheesecake Factory...that's a pretty nice compliment!

Gluten Free Coffee Toffee Cheescake

The first tip to  making a good cheesecake is to do the heavy mixing before adding the eggs.  Get all the ingredients in and mixed well, and then add the eggs last, one at a time, just until incorporated.  This will help keep your cheesecake  firm and dense, as a cheesecake should be, and not fluffy.  If you are going to serve a fluffy cheesecake, you might as well call it a mousse!  Another tip is to bake it in a water bath, which will help keep the top from cracking.  To do this you wrap your springform pan in a couple layers of heavy duty foil and place it in a cooking dish with a couple of inches of hot water.

Well, now you are armed and ready to impress and delight your friends and family, so get to baking!

COFFEE TOFFEE CHEESECAKE
Recipe From: Goodiesgoneglutenfree.blogspot.com
Adapted from Taste of Home
Yield: 12 servings
click here for a Printable Recipe

CRUST
2-1/2 cups gluten free chocolate wafer crumbs (such as Trader Joes gluten free Joe Joes or other gluten free                                                                         chocolate wafer cookie like that)
1/3 cup butter, melted

FILLING:
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tsp. instant coffee granules (I use instant Espresso)
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) sour cream
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 Heath candy bars (1.4 oz. each) chopped
1 dark chocolate candy bar (1.45 oz.) or 2 Tbsp. semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square).  Securely wrap foil around pan.  In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and butter.  Press onto bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan.  Place pan on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips and cream; stir until smooth.  Stir in coffee granules until dissolved.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Beat in the sour cream, vanilla and salt.  Gradually beat in chocolate mixture.  Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined.  Pour into crust.  Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 1/2 in. of hot water to larger pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull (it will be pretty jiggly, but not wet).  Remove springfrom pan from water bath.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with chopped Heath Bars.

Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.  Refrigerate overnight.  Chop dark chocolate candy bar, or measure out chips, and melt in a microwave and stir until smooth.  Drizzle over cheesecake (I put my melted chocolate in a sandwich baggie and snip a tiny bit from one corner and squeeze over top of cheesecake). Serve topped with Homemade Whipped Cream.