Let Them Eat . . . Cheesecake!

Tomorrow, July 30, is National Cheesecake Day  -- a special day set aside to celebrate cheesecake -- I just love holidays, don't you!?! 

I almost hate to admit it, but I am not a huge fan of cheesecake -- well, unless chocolate is involved.  And so, I thought I would share with you my favorite recipe for a marble cheesecake.  It's actually called Chocolate and Vanilla Marble (flourless) Cake, but let's be real -- it taste like cheesecake (only better), so I'm calling it cheesecake!

CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA MARBLE CAKE

VANILLA BATTER

8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature

2/3 C sugar

1 large egg

1 t vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE BATTER

10 oz bittersweet chocolate (sometimes I use half bittersweet, half semi-sweet)

10 T butter, cut into 6 pieces

3 large eggs

1/3 C sugar

1 T rum or espresso

1 t vanilla

pinch salt

Move oven rack to middle and heat oven to 300. Lightly grease a 9x2 round cake pan and line bottom with parchment.

For VANILLA BATTER: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and keep beating until well blended. Add egg and vanilla and beat until just blended. Set aside.

For CHOCOLATE BATTER: Melt chocolate and butter together. Whisk until smooth and set aside to cool slightly. Beat eggs, sugar, rum, vanilla and salt on high until mixture is pale and thick, about 3 to 4 minutes. Switch mixer to low and slowly pour in melted chocolate until well blended.

Spread half of the chocolate batter on to the bottom of the pan. Alternately add large scoopfuls of each batter to the pan. Use a knife to gently swirl two batters together so they're mixed but not blended [it will look swirly and marbleized.] Rap the pan against the counter a few times to settle the batters.

Bake 40-42 minutes. Cool and then refrigerate until very cold - at least four hours.  You can even make this ahead of time and freeze for later.

Serve to your very happy guests! 

Last year, I also made a little raspberry sauce to go with it -- super delish!