Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Cocoa Pecan Crust. Delicious, creamy New York style cheesecake on pecan crust. Decorated with caramel, dark and milk chocolate frostings.
A few weeks back I shared a caramel apple cheesecake that I make pretty much year round. I love cooking with apples and the praline crust topped with the cinnamon apple butter + caramel cheesecake filling is truly exceptional. Topped with caramelized apples and a dollop of whipped cream, it’s dessert heaven.
My vanilla bean cheesecake on a cocoa pecan crust is delicious served plain, and can be embellished countless ways. Fresh fruit compotes are really nice with this cheesecake. Today, I made the extra effort of preparing three frostings – caramel, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate; and piping a million little blurbs across the top.
The two piece springform pan is your best friend when making cheesecakes. The bottom and side are separate pieces that hold firmly together when the clasp on the side piece is closed down. After baking and cooling the side is removed by releasing the clasp and the cheesecake is revealed. While they come in various shapes and sizes, I rarely use anything but my 9-inch round and 4-inch round versions. The cheesecake can be left on the bottom piece for serving or you can slide the cake off onto a serving plate or cake stand.
Pecans are ground finely, combined with melted butter, brown sugar, fine sea salt, vanilla bean paste, and cocoa powder to create a nutty chocolate base for the creamy vanilla filling.
Full fat, fresh cow’s milk cream cheese is my go to for cheesecakes. The mild, slightly, tangy flavored cheese has a firm texture that bakes into a smooth creamy delicious cake. I often add other cheeses to my cream cheese cheesecakes including ricotta, and mascarpone. The vanilla cheesecake presented here today uses three 8 ounces each bars of cream cheese.
The cream cheese should be at room temperature. To hurry the process, remove the cheese from its packaging. The cheese can be cut into small pieces to warm it even quicker.
Today’s recipe calls for granulated sugar. I like to blend the sugar to a superfine consistency, so it combines nicely with the cream cheese, creating a smooth, creamy mixture. Blending the sugar is completely optional.
Once the cream cheese and sugar are combined, vanilla bean paste, eggs, crème fraiche, and heavy cream are added to make a rich, smooth, creamy and delicious vanilla cheesecake filling.
Piping hundreds of little stars in multiple colors and flavors is a chore, no doubt. Worth the effort for me as the cake was a gift.
Milk Chocolate Frosting – 1 stick butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/2 cup melted milk chocolate. Beat butter for 5 minutes on medium speed with paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar. Beat 5 more minutes. Add heavy cream and milk chocolate. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Dark Chocolate Frosting – 1 stick butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Beat butter for 5 minutes on medium speed with paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar. Beat 5 more minutes. Add heavy cream and cocoa powder. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Caramel Frosting – 1 stick butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, 1/4 cup caramel sauce. Beat butter for 5 minutes on medium speed with paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar. Beat 5 more minutes. Add heavy cream and caramel sauce. Beat until smooth and creamy. Scrape the bowl down, as necessary.
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Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Cocoa Pecan Crust
Equipment
- 1 (9-inch) springform pan. 1 large roasting pan.
Ingredients
Cocoa Pecan Crust:
- 230 grams whole pecans (2 cups)
- 30 grams unsalted butter (2 tablespoons), melted
- 7 grams cocoa powder (1 tablespoon)
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- 42 grams light brown sugar (3 tablespoons)
- 1 gram fine sea salt (1/4 teaspoon)
Vanilla Cheesecake:
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 200 grams granulated sugar (1 cup), blended fine
- 120 grams crème fraiche or sour cream (1/2 cup), room temperature
- 120 grams heavy cream (1/2 cup), room temperature
- 150 grams egg (3 large), room temperature
- 7 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (1-1/2 teaspoons)
Milk Chocolate Buttercream:
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup OR 1 stick), softened
- 250 grams powdered sugar (2 cups)
- 30 grams heavy cream (2 tablespoons), cold
- 80 grams milk chocolate chips (1/2 cup), melted and cooled
Dark Chocolate Buttercream:
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup OR 1 stick), softened
- 250 grams powdered sugar (2 cups)
- 30 grams heavy cream (2 tablespoons), cold
- 80 grams semisweet chocolate chips (1/2 cup), melted and cooled
Caramel Buttercream:
- 113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup OR 1 stick), softened
- 250 grams powdered sugar (2 cups)
- 15 grams heavy cream (2 tablespoon), cold
- 80 grams caramel sauce (1/4 cup), cold
Instructions
Cocoa Pecan Crust:
- Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper circle.
- Wrap outside of springform pan with heavy duty foil.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Add the pecans to food processor. Process until finely ground.
- Add the melted butter, cocoa powder, vanilla bean paste, light brown sugar, and fine sea salt to food processor. Process until well combined.
- Press the pecan mixture into the bottom of a parchment lined 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake crust in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove springform pan from oven and place on wire rack. Cool crust completely.
Vanilla Cheesecake:
- Add the softened cream cheese to stand mixer. Using paddle attachment, beat on medium until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Add the sugar and beat on medium for 2 minutes.
- Add the crème fraiche and heavy cream, Beat on low 1 minute. Scrape down bowl, if necessary.
- Add eggs one at a time and beat on low 1 minute after each addition.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and beat on low just until incorporated.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over cooled cocoa pecan crust.
- Place the springform pan into a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan on middle rack of preheated oven. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to go about 1-inch up the side of the foil wrapped springform pan.
- Bake the cheesecake for 60 to 70 minutes. Turn off the oven, do not open the door and let the cheesecake continue to bake while the oven cools, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the roaster and place on wire rack. Remove foil and cool cheesecake to room temperature.
- Leave the cheesecake in the springform pan, cover with foil and refrigerate several hours, preferably overnight.
- Unhinge springform pan and lift away. Remove cheesecake from bottom of springform pan.
- Decorate or garnish as desired.
Milk Chocolate Buttercream:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat on medium for 5 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and beat on low until incorporated.
- Add cooled, melted milk chocolate chips. Beat on low for 1 minute, or until melted chocolate is fully incorporated and frosting is light and airy.
Dark Chocolate Buttercream:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat on medium for 5 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and beat on low until incorporated.
- Add cooled, melted semsisweet chocolate chips. Beat on low for 1 minute, or until melted chocolate is fully incorporated and frosting is light and airy.
Caramel Buttercream:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat on medium for 5 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and beat on low until incorporated.
- Add cold caramel sauce. Beat on low for 1 minute, or until melted chocolate is fully incorporated and frosting is light and airy.
