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See parts 1 and 2
Recipe by: Marcel Desaulniers.
Place a 9"x1 1/2" cake pan partially filled with 4 cups
of hot water on the bottom rack of the 300 F oven (the
bottom rack should be at least 3 inches below the center
rack). Place both cheesecakes on the center rack of the
oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the internal
temperature of the cheesecake fillings reaches 170 degrees
F. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecakes to remain
in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove form the
oven and cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Refrigerate the chocolate cheesecake for 1hour, but keep
pumpkin cheesecake at room temperature (do not remove
either cake from pan.
To prepare the ganache, heat the heavy cream, butter,
and sugar in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
When hot, stir to dissolve sugar. Bring the mixture to a
boil. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour
the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for
5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room
temperature.
Pour 1 cup of the semi-sweet chocolate ganache over the
top of the chilled chocolate cheesecake. Spread evenly
over the top of the cake. Invert the pumpkin cheesecake
onto the layer of ganache. Gently press down on the cake
to set in place. Wrap the entire springform pan with film
wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.
The cheesecake can now be released from the springform.
Remove film wrap and wrap a damp, hot towel around the
sides of the pan (the towel should be large enough to
completely wrap around and cove the sides of the pan) and
hold around the pan form 1 minute. Carefully release and
remove the springform pan. Using a cake spatula, smooth
the sides of the cake with 2 to 3 Tbsps. of the ganache.
Spread the remaining ganache evenlyacross the top of the
cake. press remaining cookie/pecan crumbs into the sides
of the cake, coating evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30
minutes before cutting and serving.
Heat the blade of the serrated slicer under hot water
before cutting and run it under hot water after making each
slice. (In the notes section of the recipe called The
Chef's Touch, Marcel suggests the following: For an extra
special touch, decorate the top of the uncut cake with sour
cream and brown sugar: whisk together in a stainless steel
bowl 3/4 cup sour cream and 1 Tbsps. light brown sugar.
Pour the mixture onto the center area of the cake. Using a
spatula, spread the sour cream to within 2 inches of the
outside edge of the top of the cake. Now for the final
touch, evenly space 12 pecan halves 1/2 inch from the outer
edge of the top. refrigerate for an hour before cutting
and serving.) This is complicated and time-intensive, but
it is really and truly worth the work and can easily be
done a little at a time over a few days. This has been my
special Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert ever since.
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