Coffee and I go way back. When I
started middle school, my mom would drop me off at the mall with a friend, and
I would make a beeline to the coffee shop on the second floor. I would order a
blended mocha, stop by See’s candy to get a chocolate lollipop, and feel like
the coolest eleven year old ever, walking around the mall with my coffee and
candy. Since then, I have collected many fond memories that include coffee.
Like, the time me and three friends took a road trip with my mom and ended up
at an antique shop…I was so bored that I drank cup after cup of coffee from a
vending machine at the shop, until I was so caffeinated that you could hear me
laughing from across the store. It was a long drive back to Vegas that
night…Or, all those Saturday mornings as a student teacher when I would make a
huge pot of black coffee and drink the entire thing while I meticulously wrote
my lesson plans and graded papers. Or, memories with my friend Brittany, who
loves coffee as much as I do, and would dodge traffic to cross Maryland Parkway
with me during college, just to get to the Starbucks. These days, coffee and I
meet on Friday nights and weekends like old friends. I hardly ever make it to
Starbucks, but when I do, I always order the same thing…grande non-fat caramel macchiato.
This cheesecake, which is ridiculously easy, tastes just as rich and caramel-y.
(Though, sadly, it is not non-fat). Make
sure you invite friends over to share this one…and brew a big pot of coffee to
go with it.
Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake
Ingredients:
18 Oreo cookies
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup instant coffee
½ cup plus 3 tbsp. caramel ice-cream topping
½ cup whipping cream
1 pkt. Unflavored gelatin
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
Steps:
1. Grease 8
inch springform pan.
2. Process
cookies until fine. Add butter and mix. Press into bottom of pan. Freeze pan.
3. Place
chips and coffee granules in medium bowl. Pour ½ cup boiling water over and
stir. Let stand 1 minute. Add ½ cup caramel topping and whisk to blend. Let
stand 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile,
sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup cold water in a small saucepan. Let stand 1 minute.
Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Whisk into coffee mixture.
5. In a
mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Reduce speed to low and beat
in coffee mixture. Pour into crust and refrigerate at least 6 hours until firm.
6. Beat cream
and 2 tbsp. caramel topping until soft peaks form. Add a dollop to each slice,
or spread over entire cheesecake, and add extra caramel drizzle.
