Simple, straightforward dessert recipes – that’s what you’ll find in “The Complete Baking Cookbook” by George Geary.  Unlike many baking focused cookbooks, this cookbook isn’t aimed at amazing or dazzling you, instead the focus is to provide you with a collection of accessible dessert recipes to make and enjoy at home.  The recipes range from cookies, to pies, to cakes, along with breakfast breads and holiday favorites.  They consist of traditional favorites such as carrot bread, chocolate chip cookies, fruit pies, scones, muffins, and brownies.  Many common recipes are presented with lots of variations such as the brownies and cheesecakes.  One example is this mouth-watering Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake recipe below.  The recipes are easy to follow and offer tips on getting the best results from your efforts.  If you are looking for a collection of baked good recipes to make for your family that’s what you’ll find in “The Complete Baking Cookbook”.

Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake

From The Complete Baking Cookbook by George Geary, Robert Rose, 2007. 

Serves 6 - 8

Here’s a chocolate fudge cheesecake that’s so rich you’ll need a glass of milk to wash it down!

• Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C)
• 6-inch (15 cm) cheesecake pan, or spring form pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, lined with parchment paper

Crust

• 7 chocolate sandwich cookies (about 3 oz/90 g)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (25 mL)

Filling

• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, (125 g) melted and cooled
• 2 packages (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar (175 mL)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 mL)
• 1⁄4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (50 mL)

1. Crust: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process cookies until finely ground, about 20 seconds. You should have 3⁄4 cup (175 mL). Transfer to a bowl and mix in butter. Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze until filling is ready.

2. Filling: In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate on medium (50%), stirring every 30 seconds, until soft and almost melted, 1 to 1 1⁄2 minutes. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.

3. In a clean food processor work bowl fitted with a metal blade, process cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 20 seconds. With motor running, add melted chocolate, eggs and vanilla through the feed tube and process until blended.

4. Pour over frozen crust, smoothing out to sides of pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Bake in preheated oven until it starts to pull away from sides of pan and center has a slight jiggle to it, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Variation

Use white chips in place of the semisweet for a black and white cheesecake.

Tip

Make sure the chocolate is cooled to room temperature after melting; otherwise you’ll get strange chunks in your batter.

About The Complete Baking Cookbook

Nothing says comfort food like freshly baked cookies, a cake, muffins or homemade bread cooling in the kitchen. Creating those mouthwatering baked treats to share with family and friends is one of life's great pleasures. The Complete Baking Cookbook provides the inspiration to explore the wonderful world of baking. And of course it includes the tested recipes to make it easy and tasty. Written by baker and pastry chef George Geary, this collection of 350 easy-to-follow recipes offers a tantalizing variety of goodies from pies, tarts, cobblers and crisps, to cookies, cheesecakes and holiday pastries. With hundreds of recipes and an abundance of luscious photographs, this book will be cherished by home bakers everywhere.