Happy 2013, readers! Black Cat Bakery is back after taking a brief hiatus. Since Spring of 2012, I've started experimenting with all sorts of new recipes, most of which are vegan and a few that are raw. Adopting a much more adventuresome approach to cooking and baking has allowed me to experience more than my fair share of wonderful and terrifyingly unforgettable moments.

Around August of last year, I tried my first raw cheesecake. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I had heard about creating a vegan cheesecake out of cashews but I had never attempted to make one. My boyfriend asked for a raw cheesecake for his birthday, so, begrudgingly, I obliged. I set about the process of finding a good recipe and researching more into that particular technique. As it turned out, my partner has two good friends who run a fabulous raw vegan catering business and video blog- Vegan Shortcake. One of their posts tackled a "raw vegan blackberry cheesecake." I vigilantly watched the episode and I took notes, just in case I got confused. As I soon came to realize, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be to create a cheesecake from nuts and it was actually considerably less complicated to make than a non-vegan cheesecake. Each bite of the cheesecake was decadently smooth; it melted in my mouth and the flavor-packed crunch of the crust just solidified my opinion on the matter- I am a huge fan of raw cheesecakes.

Since making that first cheesecake, I've been working on a recipe of my own- a Strawberry, Pomegranate cheesecake. With it's ruby red color and seasonally appropriate fruit, it's the perfect treat for the coming snowy nights of winter.

(Inspired by Vegan Shortcake)

Crust-
1 cup raw Almonds
1/2 cup Freeze-dried pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp Cocoa powder
1/2 cup shredded Coconut
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
3-4 oz. Prune paste*
pinch of Salt

Filling-
3 cups raw Cashews, soaked*
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp Pomegranate concentrate
8 medium Strawberries
1/2 cup Agave nectar

 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup Almond milk
1 1/4 tsp Coconut extract
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup Coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp organic Red food coloring

Begin by lightly coating the bottom of a 9" springform pan with coconut oil or cooking spray.

Coarsely chop the almonds and chocolate chips together in a food processor. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cocoa powder, pomegranate seeds, shredded coconut, salt and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.

*To make the prune paste, process the prunes together with several tablespoons of water. It should be sticky and slightly watery.

Stir the prunes paste into the nut mixture. The crust will be ready to use when you squeeze it in your hands and it holds it's shape. Press the mixture down into the bottom of the springform pan.

Using a large blender or sturdy immersion blender, begin the filling by chopping up the drained cashews, milk, agave, concentrate and molasses.

*Prepare the cashews ahead of time by covering them completely with water and allowing them to soak. Cover them and refrigerate them for a minimum of 5 hours. 

Add in the extracts, strawberries and red food coloring. Blend for 5-10 minutes. You want the filling to be silky smooth. If you can feel tiny bits of nuts with your fingers, continue blending. Once you've reached the right consistency, slowly pour in the coconut oil. Mix thoroughly.

Pour the pomegranate filling into the springform pan. Smooth out the top with a spatula. Tap it several times down on the counter to allow any air bubbles to rise to the top. Smooth the top over once more. Cover the pan and let it cool for a minimum of 5 hours.

Fall has reached the River City. The recent rain-soaked afternoons and chilly, mist-filled breezes have given way to an overwhelming need to be surrounded by all things comfortable, e.g. warm blankets, soft sweaters, a favorite warm beverage and of course, something sweet to nibble on.

Every year our neighborhood has a picnic the last weekend of September. It's meant to celebrate the end of Summer and herald the start of another Fall. When I was reflecting on what I'd like to bring, I thought about pumpkin-flavored desserts. It seems like most pumpkin desserts are quite plain. Instead of being paired with different flavors, they typically stand alone in a dish. I understand that pumpkins have a subtle taste, but, why not harness that lovely, earthy flavor and add it to something else to make it even better? Thus, the idea of a Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake was born.

Below, is a recipe I pieced together using several different recipes. The pumpkin cheesecake recipe, I adapted from Paula Deen. It's a creamy, softer cheesecake with a hint of pumpkin that interacts beautifully with the denser texture of the dark chocolate cheesecake. I actually got the dark chocolate cheesecake recipe from a Kroger ad. Kroger knows their stuff; no joke. I think what really ties the whole cake together is the ganache topping. It's subtly sweet so it doesn't overpower the other flavors, but, at the same time, it does give the cake a nice tart bite.

This Fall, I hope you can take some time out of your busy day to sit down and enjoy the little things, like curling up with a good book, drinking a nice warm cup of tea or even eating a piece of cheesecake while watching the leaves fall outside your window. Remember, Fall comes only once year. Don't let it go to waste!

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 cups Chocolate Graham Cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 cup melted Butter

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake-
8 oz. softened Cream Cheese
2.5 oz. melted Dark Chocolate
1 room-temp Egg
1/4 cup  + 1 Tbsp Sugar
1.5 Tbsp Cocoa powder
Pumpkin Cheesecake-
10 oz. Pumpkin purée
16 oz. softened Cream Cheese
2 room-temp Eggs + 1 Egg yolk
4 Tbsp room-temp Sour cream
1 cup Sugar
2-3 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground Cloves
1/8 tsp ground Nutmeg
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Flour
1 tsp Vanilla

Ganache-
3/4 cup Whipping Cream
6 oz. chopped Dark Chocolate
1 Tbsp Sugar

Butter a 9" spring-form pan. Chop/smash the graham crackers until they've reached a fine consistency. Stir in the sugar and melted butter. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan. Set aside.

Prepare the dark chocolate cheesecake by first melting the chocolate, either in a double-boiler or the microwave. Allow the chocolate to cool until it's lukewarm but still pourable.

In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder together until smooth. Mix in the egg. Add the chocolate. Make sure to scrape down the sides. Pour the filling into the crust. Smooth out the top.

Prepare the pumpkin cheesecake by blending together the cream cheese and pumpkin purée in a large bowl. Mix until smooth. Add the eggs and yolk. Mix well. Pour in the sour cream, sugar and spices. Make sure to scrape down the sides. Finish by adding in the flour and vanilla. Mix once more. Pour the filling into the crust; spread it out evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes. Let sit until it reaches room-temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. It's best over night.

Once the cheesecake is completely firm, prepare the ganache topping. In a saucepan, heat the chocolate, sugar and cream. Stir until completely smooth. Let the ganache sit until it reaches room-temperature.

Pour the ganache into the center of the cheesecake and spread it to within a 1/2 inch of the edge of the cheesecake. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 1 hour to ensure the ganache is set.

If you want to get fancy, you can sprinkle the top with some edible glitter and drizzle some melted chocolate.

If you've been following my latest status updates on Facebook you are probably aware of my ongoing obsession with winning first place at the Chesterfield County Fair for one of my baked treats. It was my second year entering something food-related. Last year I placed 3rd for my Apple pie. It was the first pie I had ever made, but I was still furious with my ranking. To this day I still feel like I was gypped out of that blue medal.

This year I wanted to try something a little different. I asked the great interwebz what I should bake and it responded, in a great booming voice- "MAKE A GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE." Intrigued by the suggestion, I pieced together a recipe that not only is ridiculously decadent but extremely satisfying. Although I somehow managed to walk away with yet another 3rd place medal, at least I can say I delivered something this county hasn't seen in ages- innovation.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust-
2 cups Chocolate Graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp Sugar
7 Tbsp Butter
3/4 cup shredded Coconut
5 oz. chopped Pecans

Begin by preparing the crust. Melt the butter in a large bowl. Pour in the crackers and sugar. Stir well. Finish by adding in the coconut and finely chopped nuts. Press into the bottom (not the sides) of a 10" spring-form pan.

To get a crisper crust, bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool. 


Filling-
8 oz German Chocolate, chopped
4 pkg Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
4 large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla

Chop up your chocolate into very fine pieces. The best way to ensure that your chocolate doesn't burn or clump, is to melt it either in a double boiler or a heat-resistant bowl, set over a pot of simmering water. I used a heat-resistant bowl. Once velvety smooth, remove immediately from the water and let sit until the chocolate is lukewarm but still pourable.

Blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder together in another bowl. Add in the eggs one at a time, until fully blended. Finish by pouring in the warm chocolate. Make sure it has been fully and completely mixed, otherwise your cheesecake will have streaks. Pour the filling over the crust; smooth top as best as possible.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the center is set and just appears dry.

Let cool 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before adding topping.

Topping-
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
1 bar Bittersweet chocolate

Probably the most time-intensive part of this entire recipe is the topping, but trust me when I say- it's well worth the effort.

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. For 3 hours let a can of sweetened condensed milk cook, completely submerged in the water. Make sure to check every couple of minutes, to refill the water that has been evaporated. Once done, let the can sit out for about 45 minutes-hour. It should still be pretty warm.

Open it and pour it into a small bowl. The condensed milk should be a dark brown and have a thick, sticky consistency, similar to caramel. Use a spatula to smoothen the mixture. Pour it onto the center of the cheesecake and spread it to within 1/2" of the edge. Let chill 30 minutes.

The final touch- melt half a bar of bittersweet chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the cheesecake. If you want to get really fancy- like Cheesecake Factory fancy, you can create chocolate curls with the other half of the bar. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 5 second intervals until it's just warm to the touch. Starting at the far end of the bar, using a vegetable peeler, move it towards your body. You can make the curls as tight or as loose as you want; they're best used immediately.

All that's left to do is enjoy.