Chocolate Cappucino Cheesecake This is the one you've been waiting for All Your Life! Begin preparing this the day before serving. For the filling: 2 lb (32 oz) cream cheese 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cornstartch, combined until there are no lumps (IMPORTANT!) 2 large or extra large eggs 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, and 1 tbsp instant coffee, blended together 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted (I use Ghirardelli's...) 1 tbsp vanilla extract For the crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 2 Tbsp butter, melted 2-3 tbsp white sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon For the glaze: 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate and 2 oz butter, melted together Pre-heat oven to 350°. Set out cream cheese, eggs, and cream to bring to room temperature. Melt the 4 oz chocolate in a double boiler. Grease a 9" springform pan with 3" high sides. Combine crust ingredients in a bowl. Press into prepared springform pan. It does not have to go all the way up the sides, only about half way. Wrap the outside of the springform pan in a double layer of wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil. In your electric mixer's largeest bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Don't rush this step! Then scrape the bowl and add the sugar/cornstarch mixture, beating at a lower speed until thorougly blended. NO LUMPS!!!! Add eggs one at a time, beating on the lowest speed. (Beating at a higher speed will mix too much air into the batter, and the cheesecake will explode in the oven.) SCRAPE BOWL AFTER EACH INGREDIENT IS MIXED IN!!!! Add melted chocolate, blend at lowest speed, and scrape bowl. Slowly add cream/coffee mixture, keeping mixer on lowest speed. Scrape bowl again, add vanilla, blend, and scrape bowl. Pour batter into prepared springform pan. Fill a large roasting pan half full with water, set the prepared springform in this, and place on a low rack in the oven. DO NOT FORGET TO WRAP THE SPRINGFORM PAN IN FOIL, OR WATER WILL LEAK IN AND SPOIL YOUR CHEESECAKE!!!!! NEVER OPEN THE OVEN DOOR WHILE THE CHEESCAKE IS BAKING, OR IT WILL CRACK!!!!! Bake at 350° for 1 hour, then reduce tempertaure to 325°. (HOWEVER, if the top of the cake appears to be getting too dark, or is blistering, reduce temperature to 325° after just 45 minutes. If you have no oven window to peek through, don't open the oven door! Just play it safe and lower the temp after 45 minutes.) Continue to bake at 325° until cake has been in the oven a total of 1-1/2 hours. Then reduce heat to 275° and bake an additional 15 minutes. Shut off the oven and allow cheesecake to stay in one hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR!!!! After the hour is up, you may remove the cheesecake to a wire cooling rack. Leave it alone until the cake surface is barely warm to the touch. Then you may remove the spring-ring VERY carefully. (I have also had good luck with just throwing the whole thing in the refrigerator overnight, without removing the ring.) If you take the ring off too soon, the sides of the cake will sag. THIS IS THE TRICKY PART -- BE CAREFUL!!!! Put a piece of wax paper on a flat cookie sheet and place these on top of the cheesecake. Take a deep breath and FLIP IT OVER, and set it down on the counter or tabletop. Remove the bottom of the springform pan. Set your preferred serving platter gently over the bottom of the cake, making sure you have it centered. Another deep breath, flip the thing over. Carefully lift the cookie sheet off, then remove the wax paper. Don't fret if there is a crack or two, or some of the shiny skin has peeled off -- this is the sort of damage your chocloate glaze is meant to conceal! Prepare glaze and spread evenly over the cheesecake, letting some drip down the sides in an Pleasing Manner. You may garnish the top further with candies (such as candy corn at Halloween), or white frosting rosettes, around the circumference. This is a handy way to mark portions.. Chill cake in the refrigerator until the glaze is set. If you have been so fortunate as to have produced a cake with no cracks, blisters, or peeled spots on the top, serve it in its Naked Glory, with no glaze, or with chocolate frosting rosettes around the circumference. This is worth EVERY BIT of the Trouble it takes, but be forewarned -- if you ever donate this dessert to a friend's dinner party, expect to be asked to bring it EVERY TIME you are invited to such an event. Yes, it's THAT GOOD... Enjoy!

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