Chocolate Walnut Cheesecake

I was trying to clear/use up some cream cheese in my fridge before they expire but didnt really want to bake the usual creamy cheesecake. Been baking quite alot of those type and frankly, too much creamy cream cheese is not good. So....I took out Alex Goh's Fantastic Cheesecake cookbook (I highly recommend his book) and flip thru to see what type of cke I can try out.

It was between the Beer Cheesecake( which I will try to bake ) and this one considering I have most of the ingredients at home. But again, the beer cheesecake is the creamy type and I was quite 'lazy' to make the crumb base and also that recipe calls for water bath..Hmmm troublesome. So! Next option, the Chocolate Walnut Cheesecake which looked pretty easy to make.(^.^)



Chocolate Walnut Cheesecake

(A) 130g Butter

      130g Cream Cheese

      170g Brown Sugar (I reduce to 150g)

      2 tbsp Honey

(B) 4 Eggs

(C) 260g Flour

      30g Cocoa Powder (I used chocolate powder)

      1/2 tsp Baking Soda

      1/2 tsp Baking powder

(D) 1 Orange zest, grated

      50g Orange juice

(E) 200g Walnuts, Chopped (I recommend to reduce to 100-150g as 200g was just too much)

1. Cream (A) until light & fluffy. Add (B) and cream until light & smooth. It might start to curdle which is normal. Immediately add 1/2 of (C) and mix till well blended.

2.Add (C) & (D) ingredients alternately in several batches. Mix till well blended.

3. Add (E) and mix until well incorporated.

4. Grease & line a 23 cm / 9" square pan. Pour the batter onto the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven of 180 degree C for 40 mins.

5. Remove from pan and set aside to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Topping

250g Cream Cheese

60g icing sugar

1 Orange zest, grated

2 tbsp Orange Juice

- Beat the cream cheese & icing sugar until light & smooth.Add in orange zest & orange juice.Mix until well blended. Spread it on top of the cake.