“not a snickers” cake

"Making a cake is easy. Making a delicious cake is difficult."

The pastry chef didn't have to puzzle for a long time to find out what kind of cake he wanted to see on the plate. Of course, it had to be the chocolate one!

He decided to take a peanut praline cheesecake for the lead role. Just like a good hero, his taste turned out to be noble, honest and nutty. The texture is slightly viscous, but at the same time very delicate and velvety. The taste is rich, but not sugary.

Of course, such a handsome man needs female attention, therefore, a graceful red-haired caramel was approved for the main female role. Many are ready to give their souls for a spoonful of this pleasure, but she is the one who can choose the most worthy one. Only this shameless devil perfectly knows and feels the character of the salted peanuts!

In any good love story, there should always be a third part. But not a superfluous one! The delicate chocolate biscuit easily coped with this role. It turns out to be incredibly tender, but at the same time very brutal and moist, even juicy. It is cooked in a very simple way, but it turns out to be perfectly even, and leaves no scraps.

This crazy trio will make your holiday memorable. This trio can count on your rewards!

For the biscuit:

• Flour - 60 g | 2.10 oz
• Cocoa - 35 g | 1.25 oz
• Baking powder - 4 g | 0.15 oz
• Baking soda - 3 g | 0.10 oz
• Sugar - 130 g | 4.60 oz
• Salt - 3 g | 0.10 oz
• Eggs - 60 g (1pc) | 2.10 oz
• Butter - 30 g | 1.05 oz
• Milk - 80 g | 2.80 oz
• Cognac - 25 g | 0.90 oz
• Coffee - 60 g | 2.10 oz

For the praline:

• Sugar - 80 g | 2.80 oz
• Salted peanuts - 90 g | 3.15 oz
• For the cheesecake:
• Cream cheese - 275 g | 9.70 oz
• Eggs - 60 g (1pc) | 2.10 oz
• Cream (33-35%) - 40 g | 1.40 oz
• Praline - 160 g | 5.65 oz
• Flour - 10 g | 0.35 oz

For the caramel:

• Sugar - 85 g | 3.00 oz
• Butter - 40 g | 1.40 oz
• Cream (33-35%) - 60 g | 2.10 oz
• Salted peanuts - 100 g | 3.55 oz

For the filling crème:

• Cream cheese - 210 g | 7.40 oz
• Cream (33-35%) - 210 g | 7.40 oz
• Powdered sugar - 40 g | 1.40 oz

For the leveling crème:

• Butter - 80 g | 2.80 oz
• Powdered sugar - 50 g | 1.75 oz
• Cocoa - 15 g | 0.55 oz
• Dark chocolate - 100 g | 3.55 oz
• Cream cheese - 230 g | 8.10 oz

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a bowl. Mix it thoroughly with a whisk. Add the egg, the milk, the melted butter (at room temperature) and the alcohol to the dry ingredients. Whip the mass for 2 minutes. At the end, pour in the very hot coffee. Whisk.

Pour the dough into two ring molds with a diameter of 16 cm (6.3 inch). The dough turns out to be liquid, so you need to wrap the bottom of the rings with foil. Bake the biscuits in the oven, preheated to 175C (347F) for about 20 to 25 minutes. If the biscuit springs when pressed with a finger, then it is ready.

Remove the hot biscuits from the ring molds, and wrap them in plastic wrap; place them in the fridge for 5 to 6 hours.

Pour the sugar into a thick-bottomed saucepan, and melt it over a medium heat. Add the salted peanuts to the saucepan, and mix. First, the caramel will clump. It’s ok. Keep heating it for a few minutes, and it will melt.

Put the peanuts with the caramel on a silicone mat, and let them cool completely.

Break the praline into pieces; place the pieces in a blender bowl, and grind at the maximum speed until pasty. Done!

All the ingredients must be at room temperature. Combine the cream cheese, the cream, an egg, the praline and the flour in a bowl. Whip at the minimum mixer speed until smooth.

Spread the mass into a ring mold with a diameter of 16 cm (6.3 inch), covered with foil. Put a sheet of parchment at the bottom of the ring, and grease the walls with butter. Bake the cheesecake in the oven, preheated to 100C (212F) for about 45 minutes. When the middle of the cheesecake shakes, you can get it out.

Cover the finished cheesecake with the cling film in contact, and cool it at the room temperature. Then, put it in the fridge for 5 to 6 hours to stabilize.

Pour the sugar into a thick-bottomed saucepan, and melt it over a medium heat. Don’t stir it with a spatula! Now, add the cold butter, cut into small cubes, and mix. Pour in the hot cream, and mix the caramel; boil it over a medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Pour the finished caramel into a bowl, and let it cool completely. After 4 to 5 hours, it will thicken and get ready for use.

Combine the cream cheese, the cream and the powdered sugar in a bowl. All the ingredients must be cold. Whip the mix for a few minutes at the maximum speed until fluffy and thickened.

Assemble the cake. It’s more convenient to do it in a high ring, the walls of which must be laid with the acetate foil first.

Place the first biscuit layer on the bottom. Grease it with the crème, making a border around the perimeter. Put the salted peanuts in the middle, and pour the caramel. Cover it gently with the cheesecake. Make a rim of crème on top of the cheesecake, and spread the second half of the peanuts and caramel in the middle we. Grease it with the crème, and cover with a second biscuit layer. Cover the cake with the cling film, and place it in the fridge overnight.

Combine the room temperatured butter, the powdered sugar and the cocoa in a bowl. Whip for 5 to 7 minutes. The mass will lighten slightly and become airier. Add the melted chocolate at the room temperature, and whisk. At the end, add the cream cheese, and whisk again.

Remove the cake from the ring, and level with the crème. If the crème hardens too much during work, then you can literally warm it up in the microwave for just a couple of seconds.

Decorate the cake at your discretion.

Bon Appetit!