Beautiful Green Velvet Cheesecake

Have you heard of green velvet cheesecake? This recipe came about when I couldn’t find a red velvet cheesecake at any bakery last Christmas. They were all sold out, which was fortunate because it forced me to think about red velvet differently. The green idea came about when I thought it would be pretty to match the cheesecake color to the green and white Christmas decorations I used. So out with the red velvet cheesecake and in with the green!
This beautiful green velvet cheesecake is made like a red velvet cheesecake with a small amount of cocoa powder to give it a light chocolate flavor and green food coloring to give it its deep green color. It is beautiful when served during the holidays or for occasions like Saint Patrick’s Day.
Ovens are dry and can cause cheesecakes to crack on top as they cook. However, you can add moisture to the oven with a pan of water. Here are two methods for baking with water.

Method 1 — Hot Water Pan on the Bottom Rack
Place a large, flat warm-water-filled pan on the bottom oven rack and cook the cheesecake on the rack above it. This method is simple but doesn’t always guarantee a crack-free top. Be sure the water is warm or hot when you place it in the pan because cold water can reduce the oven temperature.
Method 2 — Water Bath (a.k.a. Bain Marie)
Another method is to cook a cheesecake in a water bath. It is the ultimate way to prevent a cheesecake from drying and cracking during baking. It also promotes even cooking.

Here are the steps for this method:

1. Use a large pan with sides. The springform pan should fit into the pan easily and accommodate water. (A broiler pan will work.)
2. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of the springform pan in aluminum foil to keep the water out of the cheesecake. You can wrap the pan before or after you add the batter. Make sure there are no holes or tears that water can seep into.
3. Optional: As an extra precaution against water leakage, place a plastic slow-cooker bag around the aluminum-foil-wrapped pan. Only use a slow-cooker bag because other plastic bags will melt in the oven.
4. Place the wrapped springform pan into the water bath pan.
5. Place the water bath pan into the oven.
6. Fill the bath pan with warm or hot water using a water kettle (or other pouring device that you can control splashes). Water should come at least halfway up the springform pan. Be careful to ensure that no water splashes into the cheesecake batter.
7. Cook the cheesecake according to the recipe instructions.

EQUIPMENT

• (1) 9-inch wide x 3-inch deep springform pan
• (1) 1M large star tip
• (1) piping bag

INGREDIENTS

• Crust
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• Cheesecake
• (3) 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
• ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• (2) 1-ounce bottles green food coloring (or enough green gel coloring to make a deep green)

Cream Cheese Buttercream Topping (optional)

• 4-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Mint leaves for garnish (optional)
• Fresh cranberries for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Crust
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Grease the bottom and inside ring of the springform pan. Add a round-cut parchment paper to the bottom of the pan and grease the top.
4. Mix the sugar, almond flour, and cocoa powder. Add the butter and stir until mixed well. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use a flat-bottomed glass or cup to tamp down and flatten the crust.
5. Bake for 6 minutes on a baking sheet with sides (in case the springform pan leaks melted butter). Cool.

Cheesecake

1. Reset the oven to 325 degrees F. Fill a large flat pan with hot water and place it on the bottom oven rack.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, cocoa, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar, and green food coloring. Mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and place it in the oven.
3. Bake for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 300 degrees F and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake stay in it for 30 minutes. Then, remove the cheesecake and cool the pan on a wire rack. Chill overnight.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Topping (optional)

1. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add the sugar, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Then, place the buttercream into the piping bag and add the star tip. Pipe stars around the outer edge of the chilled cheesecake.
3. Garnish with mint leaves and cranberries, if desired. If you prefer a plain cheesecake, you can omit this topping.

Sweet & Savory Tips:

• Keep almond flour in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life.
• Leave the cold ingredients out of the refrigerator until they are at room temperature.
• When you beat the cheesecake, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl because cream cheese will stick to the bottom of the bowl and never get incorporated into the batter.
• Consider beating everything (except the eggs) in a food processor. This will break down the cream cheese and make it smooth.
• Use at least a 9-inch diameter by 3-inch deep springform pan (or a 10-inch pan) because this cake has a lot of batter.
• Cheesecake is rich and calorie-dense. However, you can reduce the calories substantially by substituting graham cracker crumbs for the almond meal.
• There is a trick for releasing the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan– just in case you want to place the cake on a decorative serving plate. Use parchment paper, even if you use a nonstick pan. This helps ensure the cheesecake doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

For more recipes and entertaining/lifestyle tips, visit Rynn’s blog at www.thehouseofelynryn.com