Cheesecake recipe

Please excuse the crappy photo. Still don't have a real camera.

Crust:

1 C flour
1/4 C Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa
1/4 C sugar
1 t lemon zest
1 t mandarin zest
1/2 t Villa Vanilla pure vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1/3 C Irish unsalted sweet cream butter (softened)

Filling:

5 pkgs (8oz) cream cheese
1 3/4 C sugar
5 T all purpose flour
1 1/2 t lemon zest
1 1/2 t mandarin zest
1/4 t Villa Vanilla pure vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 C vanilla yogurt
1 shot Grand Mariner
Juice from two mandarin oranges

Topping:

½ bar Ghirardelli dark chocolate (grated)
1 Terry’s Chocolate Orange

....Additional items....

9.5 inch (24.13 cm) spring pan
Rolling pin
Extra flour


Instructions - crust bottom:

Preheat oven to 400° F (204.5° C).

In a small bowl mix all crust ingredients with finger tips until it forms a smooth round ball. Wrap in wax paper and chill for ~30 min. Break off one third of the dough and place the remaining back into the chiller. I always have issues getting my dough from the table top to the bottom of the pan, so I use the following method.

Lightly flour the working surface and the rolling pin. Flatten the dough and lightly roll until about 1/4" ( .635 cm). Place the dough onto the bottom of the spring pan and slightly coat the rolling pin again with flour. Roll out the dough on the bottom of the pan until it is even with the lip. Then, using your fingers, lightly stretch the dough until it completely covers the bottom of the spring pan.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is slightly crisp.

Remove and place on cooling racks. Let cool completely.

Instructions - Filling:

Preheat the oven to 500° F (260° C)

In a large bowl alternate mixing the creamed cheese, the eggs and egg yolks, the flour and the sugar. Somewhere in the process add in the zests, mandarin juice and Grand Marnier. Once the mixture is thoroughly mixed (but with a few lumps) add the vanilla and yogurt.


Instructions - construction:

Now that the bottom sections are completely cooled, place the spring form on the bottom of the pan and lock down.

Take the remaining dough and roll out fairly thin. Cut into 2 1/2" (6.35 cm) strips and fit to the sides of the spring form, sealing the sides to the bottom. Pour in the filling and place in the center of the oven.

After 10 minutes reduce the temperature to 250° F (121° C) and bake for an hour, or until the center just jiggles. Remove to a cooling rack for several hours and chill thoroughly.

Just before serving, grate the dark chocolate bar over the top of the chessecake and then place slices of the Terry's Orange around the center.

This recipe should comfortably serve 12.