One of the things I’m most excited about in this cheesecake is the crust! Often chocolate crusts are bitter – and crusts that don’t use almond flour can be dry and gritty. I’m really happy with this one! Instead of using cocoa powder, I used unsweetened baker’s chocolate for the chocolate part, and it really made a great taste and texture.
The crust itself can be easily adapted for most allergies, so check it out to use in other recipes even if the cheesecake itself won’t work for you.
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
THM:S, low carb, sugar free, gluten free (use non-contaminated ingredients)
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
1 c. Briana's Baking Mix*
1 T. THM Super Sweet Blend
¼ tsp. xanthan gum
¼ tsp. salt
-¼ c. salted butter
1½ oz. unsweetened baker's chocolate
Cheesecake:
3 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese (softened)**
1 pint sour cream
1½ c. natural peanut butter (well-stirred and creamy)***
5 egg yolks
2 T. THM Super Sweet Blend
2 T. THM Gentle Sweet (or more, to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
-5 egg whites
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Ganache:
75g 85% dark chocolate (3 sections from the Moser Roth brand chocolate found at Aldi)
¼ c. heavy whipping cream
¼ c. unsweetened almond milk
2-3 tsp. THM Gentle Sweet (or more, to taste)
INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT: Bring the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs to room temperature before making the cheesecake.
Crust || Whisk the dry ingredients. Melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring every 20-30 seconds so the chocolate doesn't burn. (I do this in the microwave, but a double boiler works too.) Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Press into a greased 10" springform pan and bake at 350* for 5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325*.
Cheesecake || Beat the first section of ingredients together until smooth. Taste and add more sweetener if desired. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cheesecake mixture until the two are just mixed together. Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the crust and smooth the top. Place the springform pan in a large piece of wide tinfoil to protect the bottom from leaking, then put this contraption into a larger pan filled with ½-1 inch of water. Bake at 325* for one hour or until set, then turn the oven off, open the oven door, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another ten minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, let it cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.
Ganache || The next day, make the ganache. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or double boiler, stirring often. Add the Gentle Sweet, then whisk in the cream and almond milk 2 tablespoons at a time. Whisk until emulsified and smooth. Spread or pipe the ganache onto the cheesecake, then refrigerate to firm up the ganache. Serve.