Bulls Eye Cheesecake
A visually striking cheesecake made by alternating layers of vanilla and coffee-chocolate batters, baked in a water bath.
Ingredients
Cream cheese (room temp)
32 oz
Sour cream
1/4 cup
Vanilla
1 tsp
Almond extract
1/4 tsp
Salt
1/4 tsp
Eggs
4 lg
Sugar (for light batter)
2/3 cup
Dark brown sugar (for dark batter)
2/3 cup
Instant coffee (Powdered (not granulated))
1 tsp
Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp
Graham cracker crumbs (for sprinkling)
1/4 cup
Instructions
1
Prepare the pan and base batter
Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Thoroughly grease the inside of an 8x3-inch cheesecake pan, including the sides. Prepare a larger roasting pan to hold hot water. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then mix in the sour cream, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and eggs, adding one ingredient at a time and beating well after each addition. Divide the mixture in half (about 3 cups per half).
2
Make the two-toned batter
Add the granulated sugar to one half of the batter and the brown sugar to the other half. Stir each until the sugar dissolves and the batter thins slightly. Sift the instant coffee and cocoa powder into the dark batter and stir until dissolved with no visible granules. At this point each batter will be slightly less than 4 cups.
3
Create the bull's-eye pattern and bake
Use two 1-cup measuring cups. Pour one color of batter directly into the center of the pan and let it spread on its own. Then pour the other color of batter directly into the center of the first batter. Repeat this process until all the batter is used (4 additions of each). Carefully place the pan in the roasting pan with about 1.5 inches of hot water (if using an aluminum pan, add 1 tsp cream of tartar to the water to prevent discoloration). Bake for 1.5 hours.
4
Cool and unmold
Remove the cake pan from the hot water and cool to room temperature. Before unmolding, dip the bottom of the pan in boiling water for 10-15 seconds. Dry the pan, cover with a flat plate, and invert to release the cake. If it doesn't release easily, tap the counter lightly. Remove the pan, sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the cake (to form the new bottom), cover with a serving plate, and invert again. Refrigerate. Dip the knife in hot water before slicing.
